William Robert Phillips

William Robert (Bob) Phillips was born in New Orleans in 1924, the elder son of William Robert Phillips and Edith Legendre. Bob attended the Lawrenceville School in New Jersey and then Stanford University. While at Stanford, Bob joined the U.S. Marine Corps, and was called to serve in World War II and the Korean Conflict. Entering the service as a second lieutenant, he was decorated twice for valor for his service in combat at the Battle of Inchon and the Chosin Reservoir Campaign. After Korea, Bob returned to San Francisco and pursued a career in the securities business, first at Mitchum Jones and Templeton, a regional investment concern, and later managed the Western division of Paine Webber Jackson & Curtis. Following his marriage to Alexandra Kelham in 1956, the couple lived primarily in San Francisco, where Bob was a member of the Pacific Union Club. In 1978, Alex and Bob moved their residence full-time to the Napa Valley to operate the family vineyard, Vine Hill Ranch. Over the next 35 years, Bob transformed Vine Hill Ranch into a world-class vineyard with wine grapes cultivated on over 70 acres in the Oakville appellation. Widely respected for his kindness and integrity, Bob forged solid and long-lasting partnerships with leading wine producers including Araujo Estate, Cakebread Cellars, Duckhorn Vineyards, Etude, Harlan Estate, Lail Vineyards and the Robert Mondavi Winery. He became an integral part of the Napa Valley and dedicated himself to agricultural land preservation and to the community. Bob served in leadership positions on the boards of the Napa Valley Grape Growers, the California Association of Wine Grape Growers and the St. Helena Hospital. He was named Grower of the Year by the Napa Valley Grape Growers in 2011 in honor of his contributions to the Napa Valley. In 2011, the Phillips family released their own wine, satisfying Bob's longstanding vision to produce a wine reflective of the unique properties of Vine Hill Ranch. Bob passed away peacefully at home on Friday, Oct. 24, 2014, three weeks shy of his 90th birthday, surrounded by his family. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Alexandra; daughters Alexandra Becker (David) and Katharine L'Heureux (James); son Bruce Phillips (Heather); and seven grandchildren. Services will be private. Service: Private Services Napa, CA

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William Robert Phillips

November 12, 1924 - October 24, 2014