Philip Taliaferro III

Philip Taliaferro III—accomplished attorney, proud veteran, dedicated public servant, and pillar of the Northern Kentucky community—passed away peacefully on Monday, May 26, at his home, surrounded by his children.

Phil deeply believed in serving his country, his community, and the people who relied on him. He was a U.S. Navy veteran who served in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps during the Vietnam War. While stationed in the Philippines in the 1960s, he was named an Honorary Marine Officer of the Day for his leadership during a large-scale disturbance at Subic Bay Naval Base. In recognition of his lifelong dedication to veterans, he was inducted into the Kentucky Veterans Hall of Fame in 2023.

Phil was a loyal and enthusiastic supporter of each of his alma maters. He graduated from Lloyd Memorial High School and Centre College, where he also played football. He then earned his law degree from the University of Kentucky College of Law.

Phil will be remembered for his brilliant legal mind, dramatic trial skills, keen intuition, and quick wit. He was admitted to the Kentucky Bar Association in 1962. He practiced law in Northern Kentucky and Southern Ohio for nearly six decades, earning a reputation as one of the hardest-working and most formidable attorneys in the region. He fought tirelessly for his clients, often taking on and winning complex and precedent-setting cases. Phil’s prowess in the courtroom earned him numerous accolades and awards, including the first Distinguished Service Award from the Northern Kentucky Bar Association, the Outstanding Trial Lawyer of the Year Award from the Kentucky Academy of Trial Attorneys, and the designation as a Fellow with the International Academy of Trial Attorneys.

Phil had a fierce sense of justice and an unwavering belief in the power of public service. His commitment extended beyond the courtroom, serving as a trusted advisor to Kentucky governors Happy Chandler, Julian Carroll, John Y. Brown, and Martha Layne Collins, as well as to U.S. Senator and Governor Wendell Ford. He also advised his brother-in-law, former Cincinnati Mayor and U.S. Congressman David Mann. Appointed by three governors, Phil chaired the Kentucky Personnel Board and served as a Trustee of Northern Kentucky University.

In 1984, Phil received a Covington Restoration Award for his renovations of the Daniel Carter Beard Home, one of Northern Kentucky’s two National Historic Landmarks. Purchasing the home marked the beginning of Phil’s passion and advocacy for the Boy Scouts of America. Phil spearheaded the development of the Boy Scout Plaza, where a bronze statue of Daniel Beard is now a mainstay along the Dan Beard Council River Walk.

Phil also played a key role in shaping Cincinnati’s 1988 Bicentennial Celebration as a member of its Executive Committee, where he ensured that Northern Kentucky was fully represented. His leadership, creativity, and tireless fundraising helped leave a lasting legacy for the entire region.

Whether eating out at his favorite restaurants, Walt's Hitching Post or Sake Bomb, attending services at Erlanger Baptist Church, or sharing his life-changing experiences on the Emmaus Walk, Phil demonstrated an uncanny ability to connect with people, making innumerable friends wherever he traveled in the world.

Guided by his example, Phil’s children have pursued careers devoted to service and have carried his passion for learning and travel into the world.

He is survived by his daughters Gina Taliaferro Lofquist of Cincinnati, OH; Laura Conant (Rod) of Toledo, OH; Morgan Taliaferro of Ludlow, KY; and his son Philip Taliaferro IV (Caroline) of Cincinnati, OH; grandchildren Jonathan Lofquist (Marissa), Sarah Lofquist (Adam), and Sydney Lofquist of Melbourne, Australia; Mitchell Conant of Toledo, OH; and great-granddaughters Thea Lofquist and Avery Bauman, both of Cincinnati, OH. He is also survived by his sister, Betsy Mann (David), of Cincinnati, OH.

He was preceded in death by his beloved son, Dr. Gregory Taliaferro, and by his parents, Shirley and Philip Taliaferro.

Celebration of Life Details: On Sunday, June 29, 2025, a celebration of life will be held at 3:30 p.m. Visitation precedes the celebration and begins at 2:00. The location for both is the Drees Pavilion, Devou Park, 790 Park Lane, Covington, Ky. 41011. Middendorf-Bullock Funeral Home, Erlanger, is serving the family.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to:

Dr. Gregory L. Taliaferro Endowed Scholarship

Northern Kentucky University

Advancement Services, AC 239

5320 Campus Dr

Highland Heights, KY 41099

or https://support.nku.edu select other, and then type: Taliaferro scholarship