Dr. Malcolm Dudley Phillips

MALCOLM “DUDLEY” PHILLIPS, M.D., age 86, of Fort Myers, FL; a family physician in Darlington MD for more than 50 years, died on September 14, 2007 at his secondary residence in Forest Hill, MD.
Born in Sioux Falls, SD, he was the son of the late Jay Malcolm and Irma Dudley Phillips of Baltimore. He attended St Paul’s School for Boys in Baltimore from 1935-39, and later graduated from Houghton (NY) College in 1942. This was followed by the completion of medical school at the University of MD during World War II, partially financed by working nights at Bethlehem Steel. He interned at Maryland General Hospital in Baltimore 1945-46. His residency 1946-47 at Havre de Grace’s Harford Memorial Hospital – presaged his 26 year tenure on that institution’s staff. In May 1947, Dr. Phillips opened his practice in the small rural community of Darlington.
Described by Harford County photographer Todd Holden, as “one of the last of a breed of doctors who cared more for their patients than their bank accounts…a matter of fact ‘sit down’ with him on whatever ailed you resulted in you following his orders and getting better…his kind don’t walk this land any more…it’s all a different way medicine is practiced…the true country doctor, which Dudley epitomized, is a vanishing breed.

Dr. Phillips joined the American Academy of Family Physicians in 1952, became a Fellow in 1972. In 1981, he served as President of the Maryland Academy of Family Physicians, and was a member of the Maryland Chapter Board of Directors since 1979. As the company physician for the Philadelphia Electric Company, Conowingo & Peach Bottom Atomic Energy Plants, he designed the Emergency Room for radiation accidents at Harford Memorial Hospital.
A former member of the American Heart Association’s Harford County Advisory Board, he served as its president for two years. He volunteered his time to numerous groups including the Harford County Tuberculosis Medical Advisory Board, Northern Maryland Association of Retarded Citizens, and the Medical and Chirurgical Faculty of the State of Maryland. In 1968 he received the Award of Merit from the Governor’s Committee to Promote the Employment of the Handicapped.

He was a founding member and the first president of the Darlington Volunteer Fire Company, having served from 1949 to 1968. He was also a former member of the Darlington Lions Club and served on the Darlington United Methodist Church Board of Trustees. In 1969, Dudley Phillips was named Alumnus of the Year at Houghton College where he was responsible for establishing their Medical Alumni Association.

In 1997, Dr. Phillips was honored by the Darlington community for 50 years of dedicated medical service in Harford County, where he delivered more than 2, 000 babies during his career. He retired from family practice in January 2000, but remained a physician-director for the Calvert Manor Healthcard Center, Rising Sun, MD until 2001. After retirement, Dr. Phillips and his wife of 43 years, the former Margaret “Peggy” Anderson of Perryville, lived in Fort Myers FL for part of the year.

Dr. Phillips is also survived by five children, Diane Dudley Stevens of Dundalk, MD, Neal W. Phillips of Philadelphia, PA, Cheryl Daughaday Ledford of Maggie Valley, NC, Jay M. Phillips of Fort Myers, FL, and Rachel Phillips Muenzer of St. Louis, MO; a sister, Virginia Phillips Slechta of Stevensville, MD; ten grandchildren, Megan Dudley Neurock of Winchester, NH, Madeleine Wendy Muenzer and Peyton Phillips Muenzer, both of St. Louis, MO, Brie Gettleson of Brooklyn, NY, Robert L. Daughaday of Statesville, NC, Elizabeth Shannon Daughaday of Hickory, NC, Jordan Phillip Daughaday of Catawba NC; Michael Phillips and Maria Phillips, both of Kensington, MD and Kristen Phillips of Annapolis, MD; and one great-grandchild. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by two children, Paul Marlin Phillips and Marcia Louise Phillips.

Pallbearers were Artie Reeves, Darlington MD; Cole Nelson Jr. Bel Air MD; Aaron Knaub, Elkton MD; Willard Rutherford, Darlington MD; Matthew Gullion, Bel Air MD: and Christopher Thompson, Perryville MD. Honorary pallbearers were Fred Hatem, Havre de Grace MD; Stanley Getz, Bel Air; Howard Childers, Aberdeen MD; Lloyd Scarborough, Darlington MD; Gene Street, Bel Air; and Ron Graybeal, Rising Sun MD.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be sent to Darlington Volunteer Fire Co., 1115 Main St., Darlington, MD 21034, or to Harford Christian School, Dublin, MD, or to the Darlington United Methodist Church, 2117 Shuresville Rd., Darlington, MD 21034.