85R33138 RMA-D
By: Wilson H.R. No. 2526
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, A full and generous life drew to a close with the
passing of Henry Albert Phillips Jr. on July 1, 2016, at the age of
95; and
WHEREAS, Hank Phillips was born in Providence, Rhode Island,
on April 6, 1921, to Henry and Freda Phillips; a graduate of East
Providence High School, he was working at a local steel mill when
the attack on Pearl Harbor brought the United States into World War
II, and soon thereafter he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps; he
was deployed overseas in September 1943, and over the next year, he
piloted 150 missions across the Himalayas, for which he was
accorded two Distinguished Flying Crosses and six other medals; he
continued his military career after the war, serving on 14 bases
across the United States before retiring from the air force in 1962;
and
WHEREAS, After returning to civilian life, Mr. Phillips
enjoyed a career as a data systems manager for the City of Tampa,
Florida, that spanned a decade and a half; in retirement, he became
an avid golfer and went on to win the 1978 Florida State Golf
Association Senior Four-Ball Championship as well as a host of
other golf tournaments around the nation; in addition, he found
time to recount his breadth of experiences in his 2012
autobiography, Commander in the Sky; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Phillips married the love of his life, the
former Ollie Twilley, on February 15, 1945, and over the course of
more than seven decades together, the couple were blessed with a
fine family that included three daughters, Tricia Browne-Ferrigno,
Deborah MacIntosh, and Pamella Anderson, as well as five
grandchildren, Allison, Parke, Phillip, Shawn, and Paige, and three
great-grandchildren, James, Katherine, and Arden; and
WHEREAS, Coming of age during World War II, Hank Phillips
possessed the courage and initiative that defined the finest
members of that generation, and he leaves behind a record of service
that his loved ones can remember with pride; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Henry Albert Phillips
Jr. and extend heartfelt sympathy to his relatives and friends;
and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of
Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Hank
Phillips.