Gerald Joseph Phillips

Gerald “Gerry” Joseph Phillips

December 18, 1940 – June 14, 2026

Gerald “Gerry” Joseph Phillips, beloved husband, father, grandfather, uncle, U.S. Marine, lawyer, mentor, and cherished friend, died at home on June 14, 2026, surrounded by his family. He was 85.

Born on December 18, 1940, Gerry was raised in Milton, Massachusetts by Joseph Benedict Phillips and Marie Catherine Phillips, née O’Connor. He attended Boston College High School and graduated from Boston College in 1962, granting him coveted “Double Eagle” status in the Boston community. Gerry graduated from Boston University School of Law in 1965.

Gerry’s civic service began early. While in college, he worked as a police officer on Cape Cod with a detail that included the Kennedy compound, placing him close to his idol, President John F. Kennedy. His admiration for President Kennedy, his pride in the Marine Corps, and his Jesuit education all reflected the same qualities that shaped his life: service, discipline, intellect, loyalty, and resolve.

Gerry came to Orange County in 1966 to serve as a Judge Advocate at the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station at El Toro, where he also served as a Military Judge. He remained in the Marine Corps Reserve for many years and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1987. He was an original founder and longtime trustee of Orange County’s November 10th Association, helping sustain the local Marine Corps Birthday tradition and the fellowship of Marines, veterans, and friends of the Corps.

After his admission to the California Bar in 1968, Gerry practiced law in Orange County for more than five decades. He was among the original group of Certified Family Law Specialists, served as Chair of the Orange County Bar Association’s Family Law Section, and as a Judge Pro Tem for the Orange County Superior Court. In 1999, he was a founding partner in the prestigious family law firm now known as Phillips Whisnant Gazin Gorczyca and Curtin LLP. Gerry was universally respected for his trial advocacy and unsurpassed command of the English language. His courtroom proficiency and unmistakable (occasionally irreverent) written correspondence are legendary in the Orange County legal community. Gerry received many professional honors and accolades over the years, none more significant to him than the Family Law Section’s Charles Garrity Award, recognizing the “quintessential family lawyer.” He was a formidable trial lawyer with an abiding sense of honor, strength and equity—virtues celebrated by his partners as the foundation of their firm’s success.

Gerry was loyal to the core. He was brilliant, intense, and unflinchingly honest. He moved through the world with conviction and a steady pursuit of what he believed to be right and just.

Gerry met his future wife, Barbara Sue Phillips, née Stephenson, known to all as “Bobbi,” on a blind date soon after he arrived in California. They were married at the base chapel and exited through the Arch of Sabers. Gerry was a devoted husband who regularly described Bobbi as “the greatest wife of all time.” Gerry and Bobbi were best friends, bound by a profound and enduring love. Their marriage was marked by mutual respect, deep devotion, and a playful sense of humor that sustained them through decades of adventure. Together, they embraced life with enthusiasm and a healthy competitive spirit that energized them and everyone around them. They ran at the track, played tennis and golf, took motorcycle tours, traveled with the 200 Club, enjoyed countless bridge games as partners, coached youth sports, and were active members of the Tustin community, investing their time and talents in others. Their 58 years of marriage were too short.

Gerry was famously proud of his children, their spouses, and his grandchildren. He often remarked how “lucky” he was to have three perfect children, each of whom had chosen the ideal life partner. Of course, there was no luck involved: they had been raised with a living model of love, loyalty, and commitment. Whether his grandchildren truly were superstars on the court, field, or stage may have been a matter of perspective, but his adoration of them was beyond question, and no doubt contributed to the confidence and self-assurance they carry today.

Gerry was a Life Master bridge player, an avid golfer who cherished his regular groups of golfing friends, and a lifelong car enthusiast. As a younger man he loved sports cars; later in life, he collected and appreciated classic cars.

He was faithful in friendship. When friends were ill, he visited. When people mattered to him, they knew it. If you were truly special, he called you by a nickname—whether you liked it or not. He teased, and loved being teased. In spite of his sometimes-intimidating demeanor, he never took himself too seriously.

Gerry is survived by his wife, Bobbi, whom he married on December 16, 1967. He is also survived by their three children: Laura Marie Alford and her husband, Michael; Joseph Gerald “Joe” Phillips and his wife, Laura Jean; and John Benedict “Ben” Phillips and his wife, Regan Dean. He was the proud grandfather of Audrey Hall and her husband, Isaiah Hall, Ashley Alford, Anna Leigh Alford, Emma Phillips, Sara Phillips, Andrew Phillips, Camryn Phillips, Jackson Phillips, and Connor Phillips.

A private ceremony will be held at Holy Sepulcher Cemetery with military honors. Friends are invited to celebrate Gerry’s remarkable life at Big Canyon Country Club from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. on Friday, August 7. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the November 10th Association (link), St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church (link), or CASA Orange County (link).

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