Roll Call Tribute

The Association was notified of this Aggie's passing on 08/22/1995.
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Sent by James W. Chancellor '68

Michael Thomas Phillips, DVM, MD was born October 30, 1946 and raised in Nederland, Texas. He passed away at his Galveston home August 18, 1995 after a long and courageous battle with cancer (age 48). He played high school football under Bum Phillips (no relation). Mike was a member of Squadron 14 his “fish year” and went “non-reg” in 1965 to focus on admission to Vet school. Mike was admitted to Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine after 2 years of pre-vet curriculum in the summer of 1966. He received his DVM 3 years later in 1969 and enrolled that summer in the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston for medical school. Mike received his MD degree 4 years later (1973) and began his 4-year internship and residency in anesthesiology at John Sealy Hospital in Galveston. He married Clara Tibbetts in August 1969. They had no children. Clara was also a physician (2 years ahead of Mike in medical school) and a staff anesthesiologist at John Sealy Hospital while Mike was in training. Upon receiving his specialty certificate in anesthesiology (1977), they moved to Arlington, Texas to begin their anesthesia group practice at local hospitals. Mike always said Clara was so much smarter than he was. Unfortunately, Clara had a history of cancer since medical school and finally succumb in 1983. After beginning anesthesia practice, Mike joined the Texas Air National Guard unit in Ft. Worth and was Commanding Officer (full Colonel) of his medical unit.

Mike married his second wife, Nancy, in 1987 and had 2 children, a daughter, Sarah, and a son, Martin. Tragedy struck again when Mike was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic renal cancer. He made a decision to move his second family back to Galveston where he would be a staff anesthesiologist at UTMB John Sealy Hospital and receive continuing treatment from MD Anderson Cancer Center and the UTMB oncology department.

Mike was proud to be an Aggie veterinarian. He delighted in the reaction of students and colleagues when they saw his name and credentials on his office door in the anesthesiology department: Michael Phillips, DVM! Mike passed away August, 18 1995 from complications of metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

To say Mike was a brilliant scholar is an understatement. He was well respected in the medical community in both Dallas-Ft. Worth metroplex and Galveston. He was admired by all who knew him and a man of many talents: he was an instrument rated pilot, a machinist, a gentleman farmer (SW of Alvarado, TX), and a devoted family man. He was a giving man, a wonderful teacher and a hard taskmaster. He believed everything you did should be done to the best of one’s ability.

You were taken too soon and are remembered and missed by those who loved you. God bless you Mike.