Harry Adrien Phillips

1951 - 2018

HARRY ADRIEN PHILLIPS DIED - 2018
ALEXANDRIA, VA - It is with great sadness that the family of Harry Adrien Phillips announces his passing on Nov. 29, 2018 at the age of 67 years. Harry will be lovingly remembered by his son James (16), parents Raymond and Alma Phillips, siblings Kiki Fabricant (Andy), Leslie Germaine (Gerry) and Brian Phillips. He will also be fondly remembered by former spouse, Roberta Phillips and childhood friend, Andy Thibault.
Harry was born in New London, CT and became an Eagle Scout and a highly-accomplished newspaper reporter and speech writer.
He graduated from Montville High School and attended Mitchell College, now Mitchell University, in New London, before earning a Bachelor of Arts degree with a double major in Journalism and Political Science from New Mexico Highlands University, Las Vegas, NM.
Harry began his newspaper career as a town news and police reporter at the Norwich, CT Bulletin. He became renowned for his cultivation of law enforcement sources and he exposed racist practices at a local zoning commission. His scoops included a story about a modern day bounty hunter who was beaten and sent to the hospital by a local felon. The bounty hunter later became the subject of a TV movie.
When Harry left newspapers to become a press spokesman at the Capitol in Hartford, police announced his departure on a statewide teletype. He went on to work for several congressmen in Washington, D.C. and then became editorial director for the U.S. Department of Energy.
In all, Harry served as a speech writer for 12 presidential cabinet, subcabinet and/or agency heads.
As the senior speechwriter for the director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management in 2004, he earned the top speech writing prize -- the Bronze Anvil Award -- from the Public Relations Society of America. He closed out his career of federal service as a senior writer for the U.S. Department of Defense.
Those who knew Harry understood his passion for writing. He always enjoyed being near the ocean and spent many vacations on the CT, NJ and Maine shores with his family. Gardening, canning and making hot sauce were relaxing pleasures and he was known for playing pranks on family and friends starting as a young boy. Summers in his youth spent working on Fisher's Island with his siblings and friends brought him lifelong memories.
But, most importantly he treasured spending time with his beloved son, James.