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Line 33: − + − − Formerly a member of the First [[Baptist]] Church of Jackson, Mississippi, Phillips later was among five founding members of Northminster Baptist Church, at which he was the first chairman of the deacon board and taught the men's [[Sunday school]] class. He was a fundraiser for his alma mater, Millsaps College and the St. Andrew's Episcopal School, also located in Jackson.<ref name=obit/> − + + + Line 106:
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Phillips was born to William T. Phillips and the former Ollie Fare in the village of Kossuth near Corinth, the seat of government for Alcorn County. He graduated in 1943 from Alcorn Agricultural High School in Kossuth. Thereafter, he enlisted in the [[United States Navy]] in which he served for four years in the Pacific Ocean Theater of Operationsduring [[World War II]] and, then, with the post-war occupation. Phillips also retained a commission in the Navy Reserve, from which he retired at the rank of commander in 1963.<ref name=obit/>
Phillips was born to William T. Phillips and the former Ollie Fare in the village of Kossuth near Corinth, the seat of government for Alcorn County. He graduated in 1943 from Alcorn Agricultural High School in Kossuth. Thereafter, he enlisted in the [[United States Navy]] in which he served for four years in the Pacific Ocean Theater of Operationsduring [[World War II]] and, then, with the post-war occupation. Phillips also retained a commission in the Navy Reserve, from which he retired at the rank of commander in 1963.<ref name=obit/>
He graduated, first, from Millsaps College, a [[United Methodist]] [[liberal arts]] institution in the capital city of [[Jackson]], then the [[University of Mississippi]]School of Law in Oxford. In 1956, Phillips was named an "Outstanding Alumnus" of Millsaps College. In 1959, Phillips and later Lieutenant Governor Charles L. Sullivan were named among the "Outstanding Young Men of the Year" by the Mississippi Jaycees. He was formerly active in Kiwanis International.<ref name=obit/>
He graduated, first, from Millsaps College, a [[United Methodist]] [[liberal arts]] institution in the capital city of [[Jackson]], then the [[University of Mississippi]]School of Law in Oxford. In 1956, Phillips was named an "Outstanding Alumnus" of Millsaps College. In 1959, Phillips and later Lieutenant Governor Charles L. Sullivan were named among the "Outstanding Young Men of the Year" by the Mississippi Jaycees. He was formerly active in Kiwanis International.<ref name=obit/>
In 1958, he entered the private practice of law in Jackson with the firm Overstreet, Kuykendall, Perry and Phillips. He was subsequently a senior partner in the reorganized firm, Perry, Phillips, Crockett and Morrison. From 1979 until 1990, Phillips was retained as a consultant and attorney for Mobile Communications Corporation of America, later MobileComm, a subsidiary of BellSouth. In 1993, he was accepted into the Master of Laws program at [[Cambridge University]]'s Downing College in Cambridge, [[England]].<ref name=obit/>
In 1958, he entered the private practice of law in Jackson with the firm Overstreet, Kuykendall, Perry and Phillips. He was subsequently a senior partner in the reorganized firm, Perry, Phillips, Crockett and Morrison. From 1979 until 1990, Phillips was retained as a consultant and attorney for Mobile Communications Corporation of America, later MobileComm, a subsidiary of BellSouth. In 1993, he was accepted into the Master of Laws program at [[Cambridge University]]'s Downing College in Cambridge, [[England]].<ref name=obit/>
==Switching to the GOP==
Formerly a member of the First [[Baptist]] Church of Jackson, Mississippi, Phillips later was among five founding members of Northminster Baptist Church, at which he was the first chairman of the deacon board and taught the men's [[Sunday school]] class. He was a fundraiser for his alma mater, Millsaps College and the St. Andrew's Episcopal School, also located in Jackson.<ref name=obit/>
==Switching to the GOP==
Though Phillips had endorsed [[Adlai Stevenson]] for president in 1956 against the Republican incumbent [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]] and Kennedy over Nixon in 1960, he left the Democrats in 1963 to run for governor as the Republican nominee in a bid to succeed the term-limited Ross H. Barnett, who had fought the [[Segregation|desegregation]] in 1962 of the University of Mississippi. Phillips faced the Democratic nominee Paul Johnson, who was nearly as outspoken in defense of segregation as his predecessor, Barnett.<ref>Billy Hathorn, "Challenging the Status Quo: Rubel Lex Phillips and the Mississippi Republican Party (1963-1967)," ''The Journal of Mississippi History'' XLVII, November 1985, No. 4, pp. 240-242.</ref>
Though Phillips had endorsed [[Adlai Stevenson]] for president in 1956 against the Republican incumbent [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]] and Kennedy over Nixon in 1960, he left the Democrats in 1963 to run for governor as the Republican nominee in a bid to succeed the term-limited Ross H. Barnett, who had fought the [[Segregation|desegregation]] in 1962 of the University of Mississippi. Phillips faced the Democratic nominee Paul Johnson, who was nearly as outspoken in defense of segregation as his predecessor, Barnett.<ref>Billy Hathorn, "Challenging the Status Quo: Rubel Lex Phillips and the Mississippi Republican Party (1963-1967)," ''The Journal of Mississippi History'' XLVII, November 1985, No. 4, pp. 240-242.</ref>
In Parchman in Sunflower County, Phillips declared the Mississippi State Penitentiary "a disgrace" and called for a constitutional board "free of politics to exercise responsible leadership" at the institution then known for brutal practices. Phillips recounted the case of inmate Kimble Berry, serving time for [[manslaughter]] who was granted leave in 1961 by acting Governor Johnson but showed up in a [[Cadillac]] in [[Massachusetts]] claiming that he had been authorized to recover [[burglary]] loot.<ref>''Memphis Commercial Appeal'', October 24, 1963.</ref><ref>''The Meridian Star,'' October 11, 1963.</ref>
In Parchman in Sunflower County, Phillips declared the Mississippi State Penitentiary "a disgrace" and called for a constitutional board "free of politics to exercise responsible leadership" at the institution then known for brutal practices. Phillips recounted the case of inmate Kimble Berry, serving time for [[manslaughter]] who was granted leave in 1961 by acting Governor Johnson but showed up in a [[Cadillac]] in [[Massachusetts]] claiming that he had been authorized to recover [[burglary]] loot.<ref>''Memphis Commercial Appeal'', October 24, 1963.</ref><ref>''The Meridian Star,'' October 11, 1963.</ref>
==1963 election results==
==1963 election results==