Herbert Alexander Philips

1927 - 2019

Herbert Alexander Philips (1927-2019) passed away on April 10th, 2019. His wife and son were by his side. Born in Norfolk on June 10th, 1927 to Herman Garland Philips and Mary Belle Philips Seelinger, he attended Maury High School, graduated in June, 1945, joined the United States Navy, and was honorably discharged in August, 1946. He then studied at William and Mary and at Sewanee, the University of the South, in Tennessee, where he graduated in 1951 with a B.A. in Politics. His spent thirty-six years with Chesapeake Public Schools, starting as an English teacher and then serving as Principal. He earned an M.A. in Education from the University of Virginia and was active in the Virginia Education Association and the Virginia Association of Secondary School Principals. He was Principal of Indian River High School from 1971 through his retirement in 1987. After retirement, he traveled with his wife Gloria and spent long stints at their cottage in Colington Harbor on the Outer Banks. He was a life-long Episcopalian and member of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Norfolk. He is survived by his wife Gloria Whitehurst Philips, son Christopher Lee Philips (Janet McConnell Philips), grandson William Hough Philips, sister Marie Philips Jacobsen, sister-in-law Marion Ford Philips and her children, Donald (Reine), Richard (Mary) and Carolyn Svihra (James); Edward Lee Hall (Diana); Janet Hall; John Arnold Jacobsen Jr. (Phyllis); Jennifer Jacobsen Luppold (William), and their families. He was predeceased by his brother, Herman Garland Philips, Jr., brothers-in-law John Arnold Jacobsen Sr. and Edward Lankford Hall and sister-in-law Virginia Whitehurst Hall. Funeral services Saturday, April 20th, 2019; graveside service at 1:00 pm at Riverside Memorial Park, 1000 E. Indian River Rd.; memorial service at 2:00 pm at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 201 St. Paul’s Blvd.; reception follows at 3:00 pm in the church parish hall. Donations in lieu of flowers to the Music Fund at St. Paul’s or to WHRO in Norfolk.