Michael Vito Phillips

It is with great sadness that we share the news of the sudden passing of Michael Phillips from complications related to prostate cancer on the morning of Thursday, October 24. Michael was the husband of Amy Phillips, father of Aaron Phillips and Leah Dennison, and grandfather of Daniel Dennison. He was known as Michael, Daddio, Mr. Mike and Grampy. Endlessly kind, he was also generous, intelligent, creative and adventurous. He will be greatly missed and in our hearts and thoughts every day.

Michael was born in Rockford, Illinois to parents Anthony and Astrid M. (Pedersen) Phillips. He was predeceased by his brother Anthony J. Phillips, husband of Linda (Zimmerman) Phillips. Michael is uncle to Shane Phillips and Andrea Lehman.

Graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Advertising and Graphic Design from Northern Illinois University in 1970 and a Master of Fine Arts in Mixed Media from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 1976, Michael had an exciting, creative and highly successful career. He worked in senior art, design and associate creative director positions with national advertising agencies such as Foote, Cone & Belding and BBD&O in Chicago, as well as in other major markets. 

Michael was recruited from Chicago to work at Louis Benito Advertising in Tampa in the early 1990s. A few years later, he was recruited again by ad agencies in New York City and Greenwich, Connecticut. Deciding with his wife, Amy, to raise their family back in Tampa, Michael worked as Senior Art Director and Graphic Designer at American College of Physician Executives for several years. 

From 1995 to 2020, Michael had his own business in Tampa, Phillips Design, providing art direction, illustration, and photography direction for consumer and business-to business projects for advertising, promotion and corporate communications. Over the years and throughout his prolific career, Michael won numerous local, regional and national awards and his work was extensively published. In addition to commercial art, he was an accomplished fine artist, printmaker and photographer showing work in such renowned juried exhibitions as the annual Artists of Chicago and Vicinity Show.

Michael was a gentle, humble and caring man devoted to his family. He was friendly to all, and all that really knew him loved him. Michael has chosen a natural burial at Heartwood Preserve Conservation Cemetery in Trinity, Florida. A celebration of his life will be held on Friday, November 8, 2024.

Donations in honor of Michael may be made at A Kids Place.