Gladys Phillips Explained

Gladys Phillips
State:Washington
State House:Washington
District:21st
Term Start:January 8, 1951
Term End:January 12, 1953
Alongside:Harold B. Kellogg
Elmer Huhta
Predecessor:Arthur L. Callow
Andrew Winberg
Grace Kelley
Successor:Elmer Huhta
John K. Yearout
Harry S. Elway, Jr.
Birth Date:1912
Birth Place:Aberdeen, Washington, U.S.
Party:Republican
Spouse:Lester "Pinky" O'Day
Education:University of Washington (B.A., J.D.)
Occupation:Attorney

Gladys Phillips (1912 – March 26, 2000) was an American politician who served as a member of the Washington House of Representatives from 1951 to 1953. She represented Washington's 21st legislative district as a Republican.

Personal life and education

Phillips was the daughter of Ernestine and James Marston Phillips. Her father was an attorney and politician who served as mayor of the family's home town of Aberdeen, Washington; a Washington State legislator; and eventually a judge in superior court for Grays Harbor County.

She attended University of Washington for both her bachelor's and law degrees, graduating as one of six women in the University of Washington School of Law class of 1935. In 1947, she married Lester "Pinky" O'Day, an insurance agent.

Legislative career

She served only one term in the legislature, later telling The Daily World that she "didn't care for the legislature" because it "didn't matter how hard you worked", and that she went to the legislature to work, but found that "[t]here was all kinds of monkey business up there."

Career outside the legislature

For over sixty years, she ran a prominent law firm in Aberdeen.

Further reading