Raymond McPhail

Raymond McPhail, 75

Raymond E. McPhail, 75, of Hillsboro died Thursday, March 3, 2011 at his residence.

Funeral services will be held Tuesday, March 8 at 2 p.m. at Hough Funeral Home, Hillsboro with the Rev. Ralph Ward officiating. Burial will be in Oak Grove Cemetery with full military rites by VFW Post 1306 of Taylor Springs.

Friends may call Monday from 5 to 7 p.m. at the funeral home.

Born on Dec. 12, 1935 in Sorento, he was a son of Howard Eugene and Helen Genevieve (Conley) McPhail. His mother preceded him in September 1938 and his father died in December 1953.

He graduated from Sorento High School in 1952 and Greenville High School in 1953. He received a Bachelor's Degree in International Relations from San Francisco State University in 1963. In June 1970, he received a Master's Degree from Ohio State University and in May 1980, a Juris Doctorate from the University of Southern Illinois.

In January 1954 he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. After serving four years in Albuquerque, NM, he was sent to Syracuse University for Russian Language Training. He graduated from Syracuse in 1958 and was sent to Karamusel, Turkey, where he was stationed from January 1958 until January 1961. Then he was sent to San Antonio, TX.

In the summer of 1962 he was accepted into the Air Force Officer's Training Program and was sent to San Francisco State University to complete his undergraduate education. On Nov. 5, 1963, he earned a Commission as a Second Lieutenant in the regular Air Force. He went to Communications Intelligence School at Goodfellow Air Force Base in San Angelo, TX and graduated in June of 1963.

From July 1964-July 1967 he was stationed in Zweibrucken, Germany, in the 6901st Air Force Special Communications Group returning to Headquarters Air Force Security Service, San Antonio, TX, until January 1969 when he was sent to Ohio State University for graduate school. Upon completion of school at Ohio State University, he was sent to South Vietnam where he served as Headquarters MACV as a member of the J2 staff.

From July 1971 until July 1972 he was sent to Washington, D.C. where he was assigned as Estimates Directorete of the Defense Intelligence Agency to make estimates of Soviet Air Power to include National Intelligence Estimates. In July 1977 he was sent to the University of Southwestern Louisiana as Commandant of Cadets and Associate Professor at Aero Space Science in Detachment 315. He retired as a Major in the U.S. Air Force in 1977.

After the Air Force he attended Law School at the University of Southern Illinois, graduating in December 1979. After successful completion of law school, he came to Hillsboro, and began to practice law. He has been involved in the general practice of law since he came to Hillsboro.

McPhail was recognized by IICLE for his work in estate planning. He represented approximately 20 towns and villages in Montgomery and Bond counties in Illinois.

Major McPhail is a charter member of the Southwestern Illinois Chapter of the Military Officers' Association, and the Freedom for Vigilance Association, (an association of former Intelligence Professionals). He was a member and past president of the Hillsboro Kiwanis Club and served on several committees at the Hillsboro United Methodist Church. He was also a member of Kessinger Post 713 of Sorento, 40 & 8, the VFW Post in Taylor Springs, a life member of the Sorento Homecoming Association, and life member of the Community Library in Coffeen.

In June of 1954 he married Mary Suzanne (Susie) Towell of Greenville, and she survives in Hillsboro. Other survivors include their children, Cam (husband Andy) Applequest, Seabrook, TX, Gene (wife Albina) McPhail, Oswego, Bobbi McPhail, Carbondale, and Rich Chamberlain, Hillsboro; grandchildren, Brandon McClelland, Austin, TX, Robyn (husband Bob) Sturk, DeKalb, Joe (wife Lulu) McPhail, parents of Ray's great-granddaughter Sumay, Bethesda MD, Brittney Chamberlain, Hillsboro, Tom McPhail, Dallas, TX, and Karle Chamberlain.

He was preceded in death by his parents and one sister in infancy.