Phillip J. Record

1929 - 2010

Phillip J. Record, 81, a retired newspaperman and professor at Texas Christian University, died Sunday, Oct. 31, 2010, in Fort Worth. Service: Mass of Christian Burial will be at 2 p.m. Friday at St. Bartholomew Catholic Church, the Most Rev. Kevin W. Vann, bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth, celebrant. Interment: Laurel Land Memorial Park. Visitation: He will lie in state noon to 8 p.m. Wednesday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday at Thompson's Harveson & Cole, with a Vigil Service beginning at 7 p.m. at St. Bartholomew Catholic Church. Memorials: Should friends desire, gifts in Phil's memory may be given to the St. Vincent de Paul Society at St. Bartholomew Church, 3601 Altamesa Blvd., Fort Worth, Texas 76133; St. Bartholomew Endowment Fund, 3601 Altamesa Blvd., Fort Worth, Texas 76133; or the Star-Telegram Goodfellow Fund, Box 1870, Fort Worth, Texas 76101. Phil J. Record, a native of Fort Worth, was a newspaperman more than half a century, spending most of those years at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Mr. Record first went to work for the newspaper in 1944 as a copy boy. He retired as ombudsman for the newspaper Dec. 31, 1997, but continued as a consultant and columnist for four years. He joined the Journalism Department (now the Schieffer School of Journalism) at Texas Christian University in January 1999 as a professional in-residence. He taught journalism ethics. After graduating from the University of Notre Dame in 1950, he served in the U.S. Army for two years and worked as a reporter at the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal for two years before returning to the Star-Telegram in 1954. It was at the Avalanche-Journal that he met his wife, Pat, a Texas Tech graduate, who was also a reporter there. He has held many positions at the Star-Telegram, from reporter to associate executive editor. Mr. Record was former national president of the Society of Professional Journalists, the nation's largest journalism organization, and the recipient of the Wells Key, the highest honor bestowed by the Society on a member. He was chairman of the Society's fund-raising branch, the Sigma Delta Chi Foundation, for five years. He also served as the international president of the Organization of News Ombudsmen. He was former vice president of the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas, a former chair of the Mass Communications Advisory Committee at Texas Tech University and a member of the board of the Mental Health Association of Fort Worth. He was also a member of the Texas Tech Mass Communications Hall of Fame and the School of Communications' board of directors. Mr. Record also served on the American Bar Association's national Commission on Public Understand About the Law and the Commission on Partnership programs. He was the recipient of the Ethics Award bestowed by the TCU Journalism Department and 19 professional awards for reporting, photography and headline writing. He was a commissioned lay minister in the Catholic Church and served as chair of the diocesan Board of Conciliation and Arbitration and was a vice chair of the first Synod of the Diocese of Fort Worth. He was a member of the board of directors of Cassata High School. Mr. Record has been listed in Who's Who in America and Who's Who in the World. He was preceded in death by his daughter-in-law, Deborah Rosiak Record; his brother, Tony Record; and his nephew, Jim Record. Survivors: Wife of 56 years, Pat Record; sons, Chris Record and his wife, Melissa, Greg Record and his wife, Brunella, and Tim Record and his fiancee, Maggie Goodnight; and grandchildren, Victoria Vassion and Paige Record, Nathan and Laura Record, and T.J. and Mallory Record.