Gerald Phillips was born in a small two bedroom house in Jourdanton, Texas in 1935. After graduating from Poteet High School, he married his high school sweetheart, Christell Myers. He completed his undergraduate studies in three years and went on to obtain his Medical Doctorate from Southwestern Medical School in 1959. During his time in Medical School, he taught himself to speak Spanish, allowing him the ability to better communicate with the citizens of Atascosa County. He began practicing medicine as a General Practitioner in Poteet in 1960. He moved his practice to Pleasanton in 1964 and earned his Board Certification in Family Medicine in 1974. He has been taking care of the citizens of Atascosa County as their family physician for almost 50 years. During the first 25 years of his practice he provided medical care in the Emergency Room and also performed General Surgery. He enjoyed delivering babies for 26 years. He served as the County Health Officer from 1965 until he retired from his office practice in 2007. He has been an Active Member of the Medical Staff of the local hospital since 1960, first at Pleasanton Hospital, then, at what is now South Texas Regional Medical Center, formerly Tri-City Community Hospital and Mercy Hospital. He has served as Chief of Staff, Vice Chief of Staff, and Medical Staff Surgical Care Coordinator. He served on many different hospital committees over the years and was a member of the Advisory Committee of the Vocational School of Nursing at Tri-City Community Hospital. He was a member of the Board of Directors of Mercy Hospital and the Atascosa Hospital Association. He has also served as the County Jail Physician since 1982, seeing inmates in his office in Pleasanton, and, since retiring, seeing the inmates in the jail. When the local Poteet EMS expanded to serve the entire county in 1976, Dr. Phillips was asked to serve as the Medical Director. He continues to serve in that capacity today. He was on the faculty of the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, and served as a Preceptor for the Medical Students for many years. He currently serves as the Medical Director of two local Nursing Homes. Nutrition and vitamin therapy have long been a passion for Dr. Phillips, and he maintains an alternative care office in Pleasanton. He is a member of the Texas Medical Association, the American Academy of Family Practice, and the American College for Advancement in Medicine.

Having the ability to pay has never been a requirement for securing Dr. Phillips’ services. He has never turned anyone away when they needed medical care, and in some cases has even given patients money out of his own pocket, in addition to free medical care. One year he had a young mother in the hospital who could not afford to buy gifts for her three children. Dr. Phillips went to Wal-Mart on Christmas Eve and bought clothes and shoes for each child. Another time, an older woman could not pay her bill, but would not accept “free care”. In order to honor the woman’s wishes and preserve her dignity, he accepted her “payment” of a box full of hand made sun bonnets. That summer, Dr. Phillips was seen at the Cowboy Homecoming Festivities handing out the bonnets to many lucky visitors. His compassion for his patients was evident in the fact that he often made house calls on those patients who did not have the ability, or the means, to get to the doctor’s office.

Many years ago, Dr. Phillips organized a group of local physicians, forming the Physicians’ Group. This group uses their resources to contribute to the purchase of animals at the Atascosa County Livestock Show. Dr. Phillips attends the auction every year and makes a personal contribution to the sale of several animals.

Dr. Phillips was a founding member of the Jaycees, the Junior Chamber of Commerce, serving as President in 1967. He was honored as the Outstanding Young Citizen in 1968. He was elected to the Pleasanton School Board in 1970, where he served for six years. He held the office of President of the Board for three years. He also served on the Board of Directors for the Atascosa Savings Association from 1973 to 1990. He has been a member of the Independent Cattlemen’s Association for 40 years. In 1999, along with Cathy West, he established the local chapter of CASA, Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children. He served as a CASA Board Member for many years.

Dr. Phillips has been a member of Community Bible Chapel since 1983, serving as an Elder from 1985 to 2008. He taught a Sunday School Class for many years. In 1982, when the new Jail opened, Dr. Phillips started a Jail Ministry, holding a Bible Study Class for the inmates every Sunday morning. He continues this Bible Study class today. In 1987 he organized the “Just Say Yes” Youth Rally to help the youth of Atascosa County say Yes to a relationship with Jesus and No to drugs.

He is a man of many accomplishments. He is proud to live and work in Atascosa County. His contributions to this community have spread across five generations. He will tell you that he is retired now. But anyone who knows him, knows that he is only taking life a little slower. He continues to touch the lives of those around him. Only these days, he does it at a leisurely pace.