ILA VIRGINIA PHILLIPPE Loving mother, grandmother, great grandmother and banking executive, Ila Virginia Phillippe died on January 3, 2009 in Brownsville, Texas. She was 92 years old. Retired for many years, Ila loved gardening and baking for her family as well as church activities before her health restricted her mobility. She came to the Valley 20 years ago to escape the Northern winters and to be with her son. Ila was born Ila Virginia Burks on June 1, 1917 in Camden, Missouri. She moved to Oklahoma City, Okla., at an early age where her father, Wyatt O. Burks, operated one of the first tire stores in the state. Her grandfather had lost two uncles in the Civil War, and took part in the original Oklahoma land rush. A frontier doctor, he once was made to treat the infamous female outlaw, Belle Starr, at gunpoint. Ila's aunt was the first female doctor licensed in Missouri, and many subsequent family members have entered the medical profession. The family was forced to leave Oklahoma City because it became known that her father had hidden Blacks in his house during the bloody race riots in that city. After the family moved to Kansas City, Missouri, Ila's father was prominent in the Prendergast political machine that was instrumental in electing Harry S. Truman to the United States Senate. Ila began her business career as a clerk at 16 for Sears Roebuck & Co. in Kansas City, Mo. She had to conceal the fact of her marriage at age 22 because Sears had a policy of not allowing married women to work for them. The rule was that married women belonged at home. She married John Robert Phillippe a year before the start of World War II. After he joined the Navy, she basically had to manage on her own for the duration of World War II, and again when her husband was recalled in the Korean War. A graduate of the old Paseo High School in Kansas City, Missouri, she later took college courses in insurance, accounting, and banking. She went to work for Central Surety Insurance Company and held a series of increasingly responsible positions. During the Korean War, and having to support two children, she changed careers to the Goppert Banking group in Kansas City, which later was purchased by the Centerre Banking conglomerate. At the end of her career in her mid 70's, Ila was responsible for the backroom business operations of the 60 plus banks in the organization. This included overseeing all expenditures, investments, and insurance for the organization. Her retirement had to be done in stages over the course of several years since three new positions had to be created to handle all her responsibilities. She was a member of the Brownsville Garden Club, and belonged to the Central Christian Church of Brownsville and its Christian Women's Club Ila was predeceased by her husband, John Robert Phillippe, in 1974. She is survived by her son, Christopher Lee Phillippe (Claudia) of Brownsville, Texas and a daughter, Joy Prisilla Rankin (Ellis) of The Rankin Ranch, Kansas; a brother, William Burks, Topeka, Kansas; a sister, June Illig (Howard) of Sun Valley, Arizona: Six grandchildren: Christopher Thomas Phillippe, Brownsville; Jason Alan Phillippe, Warrenton, Virginia; John Robert Phillippe, Houston, Texas; Kelly Jo Brown, Kansas City, Missouri; Jennifer Lumley, Overland Park, Kansas; Chuck Wilson, New Orleans, Louisiana; and seven great-grandchildren. A celebration of Ila's life will take place during a traditional Irish wake to be held Thursday, January 7, 2010 from 6:00 P.M. at the home of Christopher Lee Phillippe, 244 Billy Mitchell Boulevard in Brownsville, located behind his law office. A traditional Irish Service will be held with bagpipes playing at 6:45 P.M. and service to begin at 7:00 P.M. Following the service, food and traditional Irish spirits will be served. In lieu of flowers memorial can be made to Odyssey Healthcare, 2501 Paredes Line Rd. Brownsville, TX 78526, in memory of Ila V. Phillippe. Words of comfort can be sent to the family of Ila V. Phillippe at www.thomaegarza.com Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Thomae-Garza Funeral Directors, 395 S. Sam Houston, San Benito, TX (956) 399-1331