IN MEMORY

OF

RICHARD ‘RAIL’ PHILLIPS

10-21-1951 to 11-28-2008

As many of us know ‘Rail’ has been battling stomach cancer for quiet a while. Unfortunately he lost that battle November 28th, 2008.

Battle it long and hard he did. I talked to Debbie and Rail prior to the start of our August monthly meeting. Rail was optimistic but guardedly realistic about the seriousness he faced. He said with a smile…”I’m just taking it one day at a time. That’s all anybody can do.”

On 11-18-08 a large contingent of Boozefighters made a ride to visit and give encouraging support to Rail at the hospital. A family member told me the next day that it looked like about 70 BF members came flooding in to the hospital last night. And they (the family) learned first hand why the club meant so much to Debbie and Rail. He said those bikers were the most polite and friendly that he’d ever seen and it meant a lot to Rail.

November 19th at 6:30 AM doctors started performing what would be an eleven-hour operation. They had cautioned in advance that the chance of success and survival were very slim. But without it recovery was impossible. Rail had weighed those odds and told them…”go for it!”

They had hoped to save some portion of his stomach and esophagus. During the middle of the day a doctor came out and informed that they had to remove the complete stomach as it was totally eat up with cancer. They were then going to attach his esophagus directly to his small intestines. However later they informed that the esophagus was totally shot and the only option was a feeding tube for the rest of his life.

While we waited throughout the day I discussed with Debbie the history of her and Rail’s married life. She proudly explained that they had been childhood sweethearts at Trimble Tech High School in Fort Worth. That Rail had graduated in 1969 and she in 1970. They were married February 20th, 1970.

Afterwards Rail served two years in the Army and then got a job with the Southern Pacific Railroad 3-3-73. Later it became the Union Pacific and Rail progressed up to “SWITCHMAN.” As she told me that I recalled Rail bragging to me in the clubhouse one time. He said…”I never had a train to jump track on my watch. I’ve always kept them going to where they’re supposed to be.”

Rail and Debbie have two boys. Rich Jr. is 31 and Randy 29. We met both at the hospital and they are fine up-standing young men. And they showed great love and admiration for their mother & daddy.

I mentioned to Debbie that I remembered when Rail first visited our clubhouse. What struck me was he definitely didn’t seem to be the biker type. She laughed and said…”Of course he wasn’t. He hadn’t been riding very long. He came to me one day in 2000 and said – now that the kids are grown let’s buy a motorcycle and start having a little fun. Then after he got the Harley we met some Boozefighters at a bar in North Fort Worth. Rail went right up to them and introduced him self. I thought OH NO, HE’S GOIN’A GET US INTO SOME TROUBLE! But they turned out being real nice and even invited us to visit the BF Clubhouse some time.

Rail took them up on the offer. After he got home that night he excitedly explained what a fun experience it was. He said one guy named ‘History’ took great pride in telling him all about how the club started after WWII by a bunch of GI’s and that the present day Boozefighters carries on the tradition of just having good clean fun. That they don’t allow any illegal or criminal behavior, and don’t claim any territory.

Later he brought me with him and I couldn’t get over how nice everyone was to us, especially how good the ladies treated me. We learned in a hurry to feel at home there.”

I do recall that shortly afterwards that Rail started prospecting (I sponsored him) and when he patched out Debbie became a Boozette and became known as ‘Caboose.’ They both were very active and a valuable contribution to the club.

Caboose added…”You know the last 7 or 8 years have been the most exciting years of our lives. That Richard was having a humdrum life style until he became a Boozefighter and became ‘Rail’. That gave him a new spark and she believes he probably enjoyed the prospecting time more than anything. She further explained That they both are thankful that the BFMC included them in their family, and that it has been especially important and comforting as they both have incurred health issues in recent time.

To Richard ‘Rail’ Phillips…we love you brother. We will miss you until we catch up with you later when it’s our turn to “GO DOWN THAT ROAD AND AROUND THE BEND. Then we’ll all get together and do this family thing again.

JQ “History’

& the BFMC