Alexandra Phillips

1934 - 2015

Alexandra Kelham Phillips

passed peacefully at her home in Yountville, California on May 1, 2015. She was 80 years old.
Alex was born in San Francisco, California on May 17,1934 to Grace Hamilton Kelham and Robert Bruce Kelham, architect, of San Francisco. She was great-granddaughter to John D. Spreckles, founder of the San Diego and Arizona Eastern Railroad and the Hotel Del Coronado in San Diego; and granddaughter to George William Kelham, Chief Architect for the Panama-Pacific International Exposition (1915) and Golden Gate International Exposition (1939-40), and architect of a number of significant buildings throughout California.
Alex was born and raised in San Francisco, California, leaving the city to live in Woodside, California during World War II. She developed a lifelong passion and love for the outdoors and riding through time spent at family residences at Lake Tahoe and Bear Valley Ranch, now the headquarters of the Point Reyes National Seashore in Point Reyes, California. Alex attended The Foxcroft School in Middleburg, Virginia, graduating from Lone Mountain College in San Francisco before meeting and marrying William Robert (Bob) Phillips in 1956.
Alex was an unflagging volunteer, and an active and passionate leader of the San Francisco Fine Arts Museums. Serving as President of the Board of Trustees from 1985 to 1991, she was noted for her commitment to spearheading numerous exhibitions at the De Young and Legion of Honor, including Great Dutch Paintings in America (1990). "I want to remind all of us of Alex' singular quality of bravery. On so many occasions when spirits were flagging, Alex devised a new approach through creative thinking and led us to our goal. She was pragmatic and careful, but when inspiration was necessary, Alex rose to the occasion," remembers Harry Parker, former Director of the Fine Arts Museums.
In 1978, Alex and Bob moved their residence from San Francisco to their family's home at Vine Hill Ranch in the Napa Valley, where Alex cultivated a passion for gardening and raising small animals, including exotic chickens and rabbits. A gracious hostess, Alex enjoyed entertaining at home with family and friends. An active member of the community, she was Founding Board President of di Rosa and served as Chair of the Board of Trustees from 2000-2005. Her passion for the landscape is memorialized by the Alexandra K. Phillips garden, dedicated to her by her grateful peers at the front of the property, below the Gatehouse Gallery.
Alex loved travel, had a sharp intellect, a remarkable recall for history, and loved books and lively discussions of politics, art and philosophy. She was a devoted wife to Bob, who passed away in October 2014, a loving mother and grandmother. She is survived by her three children, Alix Becker of Oakland, Katharine L'Heureux of New York City, Bruce Phillips of Napa, their spouses and seven adoring grandchildren.
Donations in her memory may be made to the Land Trust of Napa County (1700 Soscol Avenue, Suite 20, Napa, California 94559).