Thomas M McPhillips

CDR Tom McPhillips, USNR-R, passed away on December 20, 2024, at MUSC, Charleston, SC, after a brief illness. He had just turned 67 years old.

Tom was born December 9, 1957, Pittsburgh, PA, the son of William J. and Gloria A. McPhillips. He graduated from Churchill High School in Pittsburgh, 1977, the U.S. Naval Academy, in 1979, and the Executive MBA program at Columbia University, 1998.

His military assignments included aviation training in Pensacola, FL and squadrons HM-12, and HM-16 in Norfolk, VA. In 1986, he was transferred to the Naval Reserve, serving with HAL-4, in Point Magu, CA, and reserve units at NAS Glenview, IL, and Brunswick, ME. In 1986, Pfizer, Inc. hired Tom into their warehousing and customer service sector, working twenty-eight years for Pfizer until his retirement as Vice-President, Trade, in 2013.

On January 2, 1982, he married a fellow Naval Academy graduate, Robin LeBlanc. Subsequently, during their almost 43 years of marriage, they resided in Virginia Beach, VA; Irvine, CA; Barrington, IL; Fairfield, CT and Hilton Head Island, SC

Tom was an avid golfer and was blessed with being a part of a golf group formed by exceptional people who together formed a community. They enjoyed Friday night happy hours, weekly golf outings and supported each other through life’s ups and downs. Tom put out a fun newsletter to annotate their weekly antics and inform those traveling of what they missed. He was also an ardent fan of Naval Academy football, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and Penn State football, as well as UCONN Women’s basketball.

Tom also loved exploring his family’s genealogy, discovering his roots, especially in Ireland and Italy. He and Robin loved to travel, experiencing the magnificent scenery, history, food, wine, and golf. Just last year, Tom discovered the McPhillips family homestead in Tydavnet, Monaghan, Ireland, and visited there personally, connecting with the current McPhillips family living there. Whether he was traveling or not, he would invariably have a historical book or biography at his side, often reflecting his wide-ranging interests in American, Irish and military history. English detective shows entertained him most evenings.

Committed to his faith and serving others, Tom volunteered for several years at Habitat for Humanity in Bridgeport, CT and Hilton Head, SC, as well as the St. Francis-By-The-Sea Catholic Church Thrift Shop. In early 2024, he initiated a clothing distribution program in conjunction with the St. Francis thrift shop and local food bank distribution sites, to additionally provide clothing to clients as they visited to gather food items. A self-effacing man, he was always willing to drop what he was doing to help or uplift others and would routinely brush over his own needs and accomplishments to focus on the needs and accomplishments of others.

Tom leaves his wife Robin, children Kelly Anderson (Justin) and Noelle Grea; his sisters, Karen Fischer (Carl) and Maureen Pirollo (Andrew); his brother Bill McPhillips (Wendy), his cherished granddaughter, Emmeline Anderson, and several beloved nieces and nephews.  He will be greatly missed and his memory cherished forever by his loving family and friends.

Family and friends are invited to a Mass of Christian Burial, 11:00 AM on Saturday, December 28, 2024 at Holy Family Catholic Church, Hilton Head Island.  A visitation will be held Saturday morning, 9:30-10:30 AM at Keith Funeral Home, 63 Arrow Road, Hilton Head Island, SC,