Valerie Ogden Phillips, of Chestnut Hill, an acclaimed author, actress and activist who advocated fearlessly on behalf of social justice and animal welfare causes, died of heart failure July 7. She was 85.
From her home just off West Chestnut Hill Avenue, Phillips dedicated much of her efforts to working on behalf of others. At various times, she served as the treasurer of the 9th Ward Democrats, president of the Pennsylvania SPCA and chair of the Mayor's Animal Advisory Committee for the City of Philadelphia.
“What I would like to emphasize about her is her overwhelming and authentic sense of humanity, perhaps derived from her deep understanding of animal nature,” Phillips’ son Graham told the Local last week. “Her passion, purpose and efforts were always led by her conscience rather than the perception or opinions of others.”
Born in New York City, Phillips began her academic career at Wheaton College in Illinois, where she earned Phi Beta Kappa honors, before embarking on a securities analyst position on Wall Street. She was part of a group of pioneering women who were among the first to complete a prestigious Merrill Lynch training program. But her passion for the arts led her to forsake a career in finance to become an actress in New York City. She performed in movies, theater and television, and appeared in commercials and soap operas.
In 1972, Valerie Ogden married Walter M. Phillips Jr., then an assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. The Phillipses eventually moved to Philadelphia, where Walter, appointed by Gov. Milton Shapp to root out public corruption, brought cases — including one which led to the downfall of State Sen. Henry J. “Buddy” Cianfrani.
Phillips was a writer and author as well. She was the “Best Bets” columnist for House & Garden magazine, and self-published a cookbook in 2005. A history aficionado, she also wrote a 2023 historical true crime book titled “Bluebeard: Brave Warrior, Brutal Psychopath.”
Phillips remained committed to animal rights causes, rescuing sheep, chickens, pigs, dogs, cats, horses, rams, and goats. Her home became a haven for many animals, including Apollo, about whom she wrote in her 2021 book “Saving Apollo.” Phillips rescued him after he was flown to the U.S. from Beirut as part of a transport of decommissioned war dogs.
“Nothing could contain Apollo,” Phillips said in 2021. “I put up an electrical fence, and he kept getting out almost every day. Once I got a call from a couple who were visiting Philly from Wisconsin. They were at the Rocky statue feeding hot dogs to Apollo! He had gotten out and went all the way down to the Art Museum, so I drove down there and picked him up.”
Phillips' husband, Walter, died in 2015. Later, Phillips moved in with her son.
“She was sick for a little while,” Graham told the Local. “She had been hospitalized last October and almost passed away then and came to stay with us after that. We were able to stabilize her and enjoy the extra months, so it was not a sudden death but more gradual. She was able to live here on a farm surrounded by the nature she loved with her family.”
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Pennsylvania SPCA (pspca.org) and/or BETA (betalebanon.org), a no-kill shelter in Lebanon. In addition to her husband, Phillips was predeceased by her brother, Paul Ogden, and sister, Natalie Tolstoy. She is survived by her daughter, Serena Sterling, son, Graham (Layla), and three grandchildren.
Len Lear can be reached at LenLear@chestnuthilllocal.com.
