John Guthrie, '55, shares that Phil Smith was a friend in Paris - and they kept in touch during the past 65 or so years. John let us know that Phil passed away 14 April 2021.

Phillips Waller Smith, “Phil”, was the younger brother of our own Sandra Jane “Sandy” Smith, PAHS ’54.

Phil joined us at PAHS for a few months in early 1953, too late to be included in our PAHS “Nos Souvenirs” section of the 1953 edition of “Erinnerungen”. Phil then returned to the states for the rest of high school - so like many of our PAHS-mates, we hardly knew some who passed through in a few months. Too bad, in this case, because Phil was a really unique guy.

He graduated from West Point in 1961 and joined the USAF, flying C-130s. He had actually joined the Navy after high school and left it to enter West Point. In 1963, he married Patricia Ann Rich, who was his loving wife for more than 57 years. He also had an MBA from  Michigan State and a PhD from St Louis University.

Phil’s Air Force experience gave him a life-long love of aviation and technology. He and his sons, Rick and Tom, were exceptionally successful and innovative technology enthusiasts - founding the TASER International Foundation - and later Axon Enterprise, Inc. These companies now provide well-known TASERS and also body cameras to law enforcement agencies around the world.

To say that Phil succeeded in business is an understatement - he was CEO and Chairman of the Board of numerous corporations. Phil was known and respected as a hard-charging and innovative guy, who motivated his co-workers to be creative and positive.

In his later years, Phil and Patty raised championship Dobermans, winning many American Kennel Club awards. Even great success does not insulate one from cancer - and it caught up with Phil, resulting in his passing on 14 April 2021. He is remembered and admired by so many people that he had helped and motivated through the years.