Gladys Phillips (1912 – March 26, 2000) was an American politician who served as a member of the Washington House of Representatives from 1951 to 1953. She represented Washington's 21st legislative district as a Republican.[1]

Gladys Phillips
Member of the Washington House of Representatives
from the 21st district
In office
January 8, 1951 – January 12, 1953
Preceded byArthur L. Callow
Andrew Winberg
Grace Kelley
Succeeded byElmer Huhta
John K. Yearout
Harry S. Elway, Jr.
Personal details
Born1912
Aberdeen, Washington, U.S.
DiedMarch 26, 2000(2000-03-26) (aged 87–88)
Political partyRepublican
SpouseLester "Pinky" O'Day
EducationUniversity of Washington (B.A., J.D.)
OccupationAttorney

Personal life and education edit

Phillips was the daughter of Ernestine and James Marston Phillips. Her father was an attorney and politician who served as mayor of the family's home town of Aberdeen, Washington; a Washington State legislator; and eventually a judge in superior court for Grays Harbor County.[2]

She attended University of Washington for both her bachelor's and law degrees, graduating as one of six women in the University of Washington School of Law class of 1935.[2] In 1947, she married Lester "Pinky" O'Day, an insurance agent.[2][3]

Legislative career edit

She served only one term in the legislature, later telling The Daily World that she "didn't care for the legislature" because it "didn't matter how hard you worked", and that she went to the legislature to work, but found that "[t]here was all kinds of monkey business up there."[2]

Career outside the legislature edit

For over sixty years, she ran a prominent law firm in Aberdeen.[2]

References edit

  1. ^ "State of Washington: Members of the Legislature 1889-2019" (PDF). Washington Legislative Information Center. Brad Hendrickson, Secretary of the Senate; Bernard C. Dean, Chief Clerk House of Representatives. February 2019. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Gladys Phillips" (PDF). Women in the Legislature. Washington State Legislature. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
  3. ^ "Gladys Phillips". Legacy Washington. Washington Secretary of State. Retrieved December 27, 2022.

Further reading edit

  • Robinson, Herb, “Like Father, Like Daughter,” The Seattle Times, January 11, 1951
  • Spitzer, Judith, “Women’s History Month Spotlight,” The Daily World, March 19, 2000 [1][dead link]
  • Spitzer, Judith, “Gladys Phillips, inspirational attorney, dies,” The Daily World, April 1, 2000 [2][dead link]
  • “Gladys and Joe,” The Daily World, April 1, 2000 [3][dead link]
  • Hughes, John, “The Greatest Women in Harbor History?” The Daily World, August 8, 2004 [4][dead link]