Thomas F. Phillips

Tom Fore Phillips, of Sunshine, husband of Billie Claire, lawyer, cattleman, old wood aficionado and teller of tales, passed away Saturday, Dec. 3, 2011, at 83. He was preceded in death by his parents, Thomas Middleton and Rachel Fore Phillips; and his beloved youngest son, Thomas Bryan Phillips. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Billie Claire Lefkovits Phillips; sons and daughters-in-law, Louis M. Phillips and Yvette M. Wiltgen and Ben Fore and Molly Fairchild Phillips; and his grandchildren, Michaella, Isaac, Emily and Savannah, to whom he was totally devoted and upon whom he unfailingly doted. Tom was born and raised in Many. His father, known as Pappy Phillips, was sheriff from 1944 to 1968, and until Tom left home for college and law school, he considered himself an integral member of the law enforcement community of Sabine Parish. He graduated in 1945 from Florien High School, where his mother, Rachel, was history teacher. He then went to college at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, at which he was editor of the college yearbook and publisher of "Pandemonium," a humor magazine (having to publish "Pandemonium" off-campus after the college banned him from on-campus publication was among his distinctions as a publisher). He graduated in 1949. He attended LSU Law School and graduated in 1952. He was part of the team, along with Joe LeSage, that won the Moot Court trial competition his senior year. He served in the U.S. Army, Judge Advocate General, and was stationed in Japan during the Korean War.  After his active duty he served in the Army Reserve until his honorable discharge, as a captain. After his active military service, he joined the Baton Rouge law firm now known as Taylor, Porter, Brooks and Phillips. He worked at "Taylor Porter" with utmost dedication from 1955 until he finally quit working somewhere around 2005. After a long stretch of being the de facto head of things, Tom in 1990 was made the formal managing partner of the firm (a position he reluctantly accepted because the job required actual administrative responsibility). He held that position until his retirement as partner in 1998. He was the consummate trial lawyer, and in fact the consummate every kind of lawyer, practicing in any area to which his clients called for his services, and mastering them all. He practiced before federal, state and city courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court, and before innumerable administrative agencies, most notably the Louisiana Public Service Commission. He practiced law with fierce devotion to his clients, while maintaining a professional and courteous demeanor, and was mentor to a collection of young lawyers too many to count. He was a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, Honorary Order of the Coif at LSU Law Center, and a member of various bar associations. He was the first chairman of the board of trustees of the Rural Life Museum and served for several years as member of the Friends of the Rural Life Museum board of directors, and at times served on the executive committee of that board. Tom was a charter member of the City Club of Baton Rouge. He also served as a member of the advisory board of directors of Bank One. He was inducted into the Northwestern State University Long Purple Line, as a distinguished alumnus. Tom forever embraced and cherished his Sabine Parish roots, and considered himself to be the luckiest person alive for his background and upbringing, his family and the time he had as father to Thomas, his law firm and lawyer community, and his wide universe of friends. He will be missed by all; he left his mark. The family wishes to thank Dr. Edmund Vinci, Dr. Carl Luikhart and Dr. J. Benton Dupont, all physicians of the highest order, for the care they gave Tom during his last months. The family also extends its utmost gratitude to the doctors and staff of The Carpenter House of St. Joseph Hospice for their caring for Tom during his last days. A memorial service will be held at Rabenhorst Funeral Home, 825 Government St., on Sunday, Dec. 11, at 3 p.m. with visitation from noon until time of service. Honorary pallbearers are Leonard "Pete" Abington, John W. Barton, Frank M. Coates, Irene Deist, David Ellison, J. Benton Dupont, A. Shelby Easterly, David Floyd, Wayne Hiter, William J. Hughes, Jess Johnson, Gale Linster, Ronnie McCoy, Paul Murrill, Hon. John V. Parker, Bob Pearce, Hon. Frank Polozola, Kerlin Sutton, Mike Thompson and the law partners at Taylor Porter, Brooks and Phillips. A celebration of life reception will be held after the service at the City Club of Baton Rouge, 355 North Blvd., Baton Rouge. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made to the LSU Rural Life Museum, (225) 765-2437.