Alice Elizabeth Fulsom Phillips

Our beloved friend, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother, Alice Elizabeth (Fulsom) Phillips, 80, passed away peacefully on October 16, 2020 in Nokomis, Florida. Alice was born in Nokomis, Illinois on December 12, 1939, and lived in Northern and Central Illinois most of her life. Alice served for ten years as Director of Government Relations for Chicago Title Insurance Company. Prior to her government relation's career, Alice worked at Continental Bank as an officer in its Public Finance Real Estate Departments. Alice was the 1996 Speaker of the Illinois Third House, the association of registered lobbyists, and is the only woman to serve in that capacity for over 60 years. From 1986 to 1997, she served on the Board of Prairie State 2000 Authority and as its Chair from the spring of 1990, when she was re-appointed to a four-year term on that Board by then Governor James R. Thompson and confirmed by the Senate. She was also appointed by former Governor Jim Edgar to the Illinois Economic Development Council and the Commission on the 75th Anniversary of Women's Suffrage and served on his Task Force on Illinois Workforce Preparation and Development Initiative and the Governor's Conference Steering Committee. She also served on the Secretary of State's Motor Vehicle Review Board. Alice served on the Board of Directors of the DuPage Children's Museum and was a Director of Chicago Area Public Affairs Group. She was founder and past president of the Illinois Lincoln Excellence in Public Service Series, a leadership-training program for Republican women. She served on the Board of Directors of RW-PAC, on the Advisory Board of Leadership Illinois, Chicago Real Estate Executive Women and the Women's Legislative Network. The DuPage County YWCA named her 1999 Woman of the Year in Government, Politics and Community Affairs. She was also a Life Member of the DuPage Art League and a regular volunteer at the Art Institute of Chicago. In 1998, Alice founded Government Affairs Specialists, Inc. (GASI), a government relations consulting and lobbying firm representing clients in matters involving state and local governments in Illinois. GASI was bi-partisan and female-owned with a proven track record of achievement on behalf of clients ranging from national corporations to local not-for-profits. In 2009, Alice retired and moved to Nokomis Florida, and acquired a bachelors in fine arts at Ringling College of Art & Design. Her late in life career in Art and Design offered her a wide range of recognition and many awards for her encaustics and photography work. Alice loved good food, wine, conversation, laughter, and most importantly, friendship. Books were her joy, cooking was her gift, and travel was her passion. Alice has traveled to every U.S. state but two, Greece, Ireland, China, South Korea, Ukraine, Russia, France, Italy, Egypt, and too many more to list. She was planning a trip to Cuba this year when it was postponed because of the pandemic. Alice (Mom) (GG) is survived by four daughters; Lee Ann Phillips, Sandra Phillips, Pamela Volz, Spice Phillips, four grandchildren; Dana Freeman (Josh Freeman), John Lord, Matthew Lord (Tanya Lord), Emily Volz, six great grandchildren; Ethan Freeman, Carter Freeman, Jacob Freeman, Addison Jurgenson, Brennan Lord, Avery Lord, and endless friends from around the globe who are all heartbroken from her passing. To honor Alice, please consider donations to the Venice Art Center, Venice, Florida; DuPage Art League, Wheaton, Illinois; or any of your local art community centers; travel to somewhere new, or have a delicious meal with friends and family. Most important of all, vote. Alice made sure to do that in her last weeks she was with us through mail-in-voting. She knew the value of the political process, and never took the privilege of women finally getting to vote for granted. We toast you, Alice, and happy travels.