From Tumbleweeds to Trattoria's to Testimony: Lou Phillips' Journey

LOU PHILLIPS WAS BORN IN A SMALL EAST TEXAS TOWN AND RAISED IN AN EVEN SMALLER WEST TEXAS TOWN BY THE NAME OF QUANAH.  HE WAS THE SECOND OF FIVE CHILDREN BORN TO ALICE LANE WHO ESSENTIALLY RAISED HER KIDS AS A SINGLE PARENT.  AN INDUSTURIOUS HOUSEHOLD LED BY A WOMAN WHO DEVELOPED AND RAN HER OWN BUSINESSES TO KEEP THE FAMILY GOING.

AS A YOUNGSTER, HIS FAVORITE PAST TIME WAS PLAYING ARMY WITH HIS FRIENDS AND DAY DREAMING ABOUT ONE DAY TRAVELING AND BECOMING A BUSINESS MAN.   THIS COMBINATION SORT OF BECAME THE FOUNDATION OF THE MAN HE ULTIMATELY GREW UP TO BE.

ATHLETICS WERE VERY IMPORTAN THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE AND HE EVEN FANCIED HIMSELF TO BE A PROMISING STAR IN BASEBALL AND BASKETBALL… BUT FOUND OUT SOON AFTER EXPANDING HIS COMPETITION THAT HIS SKILLS WERE FAR BELOW THE REAL DEALS.    AND, SO…IN 1966, HE JOINED THE ARMY AS A WAY OF SEEING THE WORLD AND GETTING A SURE WAY TO HIGHER EDUCATION.   THE ARMY GAVE HIM THAT AND SO MUCH MORE.