Phillip D. Bostwick

1933 - 2017

Phillip D. Bostwick died Dec. 18, 2017 at his home in East Orleans, Massachusetts, surrounded by his family. He was 84. He was the first litigation partner in the Washington, DC law firm of Shaw, Pittman, Potts & Trowbridge, where he practiced from 1963 to 1997. He loved to try cases and argued before seven U.S. Courts of Appeal and the U.S. Supreme Court. Born in Topeka, Kansas in 1933 to Guy and Ruth Bostwick, he received his A.B. magna cum laude in 1954 from Stanford University, where he was Phi Beta Kappa, and his LL.B. from Harvard Law School in 1961. He served four years in the U.S. Navy as a Naval Aviator and flew with a Marine Reserve Squadron while attending law school. He was qualified in both jet fighters and multi-engine patrol bombers, flew off aircraft carriers and held the rank of Captain, USMCR. A talented illustrator, his work appeared in Navy and other publications. He remained an avid aviator and sports car driver throughout his life and meticulously restored numerous vintage cars, many of which he raced competitively. One of his great joys was flying his Stearman biplane along Cape Cods seashore. He was also passionate about history, movies and current events. He is survived by his wife, Jean Ann (Schlegel) Bostwick of East Orleans, whom he met on a blind date in Harvard Square in 1958, having been paired by mutual friends as a gag due to their height disparity. Their marriage lasted 58 years until his death. He is also survived by his children, Dwight Bostwick of Chevy Chase, Md., Jennifer Bostwick Owens of Nashville, Tn., and John Bostwick of Newton, Ma.; and six grandchildren, who affectionately called him G-Pa. Donations may be made in Phillips name to the Committee to Protect Journalists at cpj.org.