Final farewell for Phillips

By Clay Cunningham Assistant news editor ccunningha4@indstate.edu

The ISU and Terre Haute community bid their last farewell to late Ombudsperson Mike Phillips with a candlelight vigil in the Dede Plaza Tuesday night. The event was organized by NAACP President Erika Johnson, and officiated by Jeff Brown, Chief of Staff for the Student Government Association. Sophomore marketing major Christina Cole began the program with a performance of the Lauren Hill song, "His Eye on the Sparrow." Junior information technology major David Williams followed by reading an original poem he wrote for Phillips in 2005, after he successfully convinced Williams to stay in school. Terry Clark, a professor of African-American studies, who also serves as the pastor for the St. Paul Baptist Church, gave a speech filled with fond memories of Phillips, saying ISU was a much better place because of his decades of service. He also said he knew many people were questioning why he was taken, but the pastor revealed his reasons for why Mike Phillips needed to pass on. "God needed a good ombudsperson," Clark said. "I truly believe that God handpicked Mike for a greater work." The final speaker of the evening was Phillip's youngest daughter Clarenda "Missy" Phillips. She spoke fondly of all in attendance and said that all the people who came out knew they had a place in her father's heart. Johnson said she was particularly touched by Clarenda's kind words. "Missy's speech really made us feel like we meant something to him," Johnson said. "It's great to know, because he meant so much to us." Clarenda closed her speech by calling on the African-American portion of the audience to make sure they took the lessons learned from her father, and to apply them into their everyday lives now that he has passed. She said that it was up to them to make a difference in the lives of others, the way her father was able to do for so many years. "We all need to get out there and make a difference," Clarenda said. "Everyone here needs to step up and do what is needed of us, so we can get the education we deserve, so we can all function in this society." After a brief moment of silence, the vigil came to a close. Brown said he was happy with the event, and thought it paid great tribute to a beloved member of the ISU community. "Mike was such a wonderful person," Brown said. "His smile lit up everyone who went to see it. We love him, and will miss him dearly."