Frank Phillips

Frank Phillips died on February 5, 2012 at the age of 98. Frank was unusually smart, loving, and committed to improving the lives of all people. Until the end, along with his wife Betty, Frank fought passionately for peace, education, and social justice. He was a political activist who worked tirelessly to find common ground among diverse religious and ethnic groups. Frank's courageous support of civil rights was chronicled in the CBS documentary “Guess Who’s Coming to Great Neck.”

He was President and a member of the Great Neck Board of Education from 1964-1976. Frank was one of the founders of the Village School, an alternative school that promoted the idea that each child achieves success with an individualized education.

Frank was an early and fervent opponent of the Vietnam War, and at the age of 90 one of the more vocal opponents of the Iraq War. He was a proud longtime co-Chair of the Long Island Alliance for Peaceful Alternatives.

As founder, President and CEO of Hush-A-Bye for 54 years, he provided thousands of New York City baby boomers with toys, cribs, bedding, strollers, and teen furniture. At 45, he attended Columbia Teachers' College and earned his Masters degree. He shared his business skills when he taught at Nassau Community College.

He was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, uncle, and friend. He is survived by his wife of 71 years, Betty Phillips, with whom he had a lifelong love affair, his children Karen and Robert Phillips, his grandchildren Jesse Levine, Daniel and Eric Phillips, Alison and Jennifer Stearns, his sons-in-law Frank Stearns and Harry Levine, and his daughter-in-law Julia Andrieni. His daughter Laurie Phillips died in 1995. We are all grateful for the values he lived and transmitted to us, and the love and support that he generously gave. He will live in our hearts for ever.

Contibutions in his memory may be made to The Long Island Alliance for Peacefeul Alternatives, P.O. Box 301, Garden City, New York 11530.