JACK PHILLIPS
Aug. 26, 1938-June 1, 2021
Atherton, California
Jack was born in Tulare, California, the youngest of Mabel and Tulsa Phillips’ four sons.
He received a B.A. degree at the University of San Francisco where he was an original member of the a cappella group, the “Pipes”. He was a beloved English teacher and guidance counselor to generations of students at Palo Alto High School, where he worked for 35 years. Never a runner, but instead an avid walker, Jack was an active member of the LGBTQ+ BayLands FrontRunners, for which he served on the Board of Directors and hosted countless pool parties, meetings, and celebrations. He was a pianist, sculptor, talented man around the house, devoted Shakespearean and composer of sonnets. Additionally, Jack was a passionate theater-goer and Broadway visitor, and one of the founding fathers of the annual Music@Menlo festival, at the Menlo School. Each of his homes reflected his gifts as an interior designer extraordinaire and visionary gardener.
Jack was renowned for his hospitality, generosity, and civic commitments, qualities which made him a caring mentor to countless others, and a cherished friend to everyone he met. His playfulness and engagement with the world around him, as evidenced in his travels abroad with friends, are a testimony to his inextinguishable joie de vivre. Jack lived his life by a maxim on his workshop wall: Do not count the days; make the days count.
A Celebration of Life Service will be held on Sunday, August 15th at 1:00 PM in the Jennings Pavilion at Holbrook-Palmer Park in Atherton. Individuals wishing to attend are asked to notify Fred Weldy at weldyfred@gmail.com. As parking is limited, attendees are strongly encouraged to car pool. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Music@Menlo Fund (musicatmenlo.org).
~ Palo Alto Online ~
Ann Linton Stivers (Pianetta) (1971)
I read about Mr. Phillips' passing in the newspaper and contacted the person in charge of his memorial. To my surprise, they asked me to speak and so I went and spoke about what a fun teacher he was, and how easy he was to talk to.
And listening to all the people talk about his life, it was obvious that he left a lasting impression on everyone. He came from a small town in Central California, and he helped expose a larger impression of the world with his family. They would come to visit and he would take them to the theater and to dinner and just show them another side of life. His family members had never been exposed to this and that was his gift to them. He was a wonderful teacher and person and will be greatly missed.