Memory Book of Philip R. Grayson, Jr.

Prelude .........................................................................................................Cody Thank you joining us for the Celebration of Life for Philip R. Grayson, Jr. Invocation.......................................................................Pastor Baron A. Sovory The Lord’s Prayer ....................................................................... Marquel Jordan Scripture Reading......... Apostle Eric C. Morrison, Restoration Jubilee Center Reflections............................................................................. Family and Friends The Epistle Reading of Philip R. Grayson, Jr. .............................David Edwards Accommodations ................................................................................................ Praise Dance…”Speak to My Heart” – Donnie McClurkin ...... Jasmine Jones Reflections............................................................................. Family and Friends Eulogy................................................................................ Pastor Marc Raphael Video Tribute In Celebration, Honor, and Loving Memory of Philip Russell Grayson, Jr. Benediction....................................................................... Pastor Marc Raphael Postlude...........................................................Now ‘Til Forever by Kirk Whalum

PHILIP RUSSELL GRAYSON, JR. Wife Micki Rechelle Grayson Parents Philip Russell Grayson, Sr. and Marlene Spears Grayson Children Philip Russell Grayson, III and Mia Ashley Grayson Officiating Ministers Pastor Baron A. Sovory Apostle Eric C. Morrison Pastor Marc Raphael Music and Praise Ministry Cody A. Breyer Marquel Jordan Jasmine Jones Active Pallbearers Honorary Pallbearers Phyllip Baker, II Nick Marqueece Harris-Dawson Ivan Hemanns David Edwards Phyllip Baker, Sr. Mark King Ronald Goldberg??? Shon Pride Simcha Travis Tramel Yong- Suk Peter Cho

2 Corinthians 3:2-3 Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: 3Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.

On the Sabbath of September 11, 1970 at 11:41am, the Lord blessed the world with a precious gift. Philip Russell Grayson, Jr., who would come to also be affectionately known to many as “Rusty,” was born to Philip Russell Gray- son, Sr. and Marlene Spears Grayson at White Memorial Hospital in Los Ange- les, California. As a child and his entire life, Philip Jr. was “the sunshine” of his parents’ and so many other people’s lives. Philip was “raised in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4b).” Philip grew up with a strong foundation Christ. He went to Sabbath school. Every summer, he went to Camp Cedar Falls. Philip accepted Jesus as His Lord and Savior at the age of ten and was baptized the same year. The spir- itual seeds that were planted early in Philip’s life would be essential in shaping the kind, caring, patient, compassionate, loving, thoughtful, and brilliant man Philip would become. From a very early age, Philip was an extremely inquisitive child. His father taught him to read and his love for math was ignited early. Even before the age of four, his father spent time playing with Rusty and teaching him basic and more advanced geometric shapes. When he started his formal education at Donna Rowe Preschool and was tested his shapes, he went beyond simply knowing circles, triangles, and rectangles. Glimpses of his brilliance became evident. At barely four years old, Philip was asking about parallelograms and octagons. Because he was so advanced, they skipped him to first grade even before he could hold a pencil. From then, he transitioned to South Bay Jr. Academy where he completed first through tenth grades. Throughout his childhood, his parents who were both educators continued to spark Philip’s curiosity. His mother instilled in Philip a love for traveling. Every year, they drove across country to visit his grandparents in Boston. Philip also traveled to the Grand Canyon, Niag- ara Falls, all the islands of Hawaii, Mt. Rushmore, Washington DC, Disney World, and Carlsbad Caverns to name a few. His mother taught him how to cook. Rusty loved to read. He read books on everything from animals to whales, but it was not until about eight years old that he got a book about space and the planets that his passion and fascination with astronomy was ignited. His father taught him how to play chess, but would not “let” Rusty win. Many of his family recognized Rusty’s love for learning. His Uncle Glen seeing that young Rusty liked chess taught him more advanced chess moves, which Rusty used to eventually beat his Dad. His godmother, Dr. Erylene Piper-Mandy, intentionally never spoke to Rusty as a child, but conversed with him as an adult on a vari- ety of topics, which gave Rusty a broad vocabulary and perspective on life. Every week, Rusty would visit his Aunt Linda and Uncle Pierre and his Uncle Pierre started teaching Rusty about com- puters when they first came out when Rusty was about nine years old. Anytime his Uncle Leonard saw Rusty, he gave him math problems to solve for fun. Rusty loved the challenge and developed a

strong foundation in math and science. Throughout high school at South Bay Jr. Academy and Lynwood Academy, Philip excelled, graduated with top honors, and subsequently, attended the University of California, Irvine in 1988 as a Math major. While attending UC Irvine, Philip was involved in the National Society of Black Engineers and the Black Student Union. He continued to thrive and develop three other passions that would become inextricably interconnected and pivotal in his life – writing, computers, and music. Prior to going to college, Philip had a natural bent toward math and science. Initially, writing did not come as easily. As a matter of fact, Philip earned an extremely low grade on his first college paper. He was not accustomed to earning anything lower than an A. Philip’s godmother, Dr. Erylene Piper-Mandy who was faculty at UCI at the time, tutored Philip in writing and taught him how to write. He be- came such a prolific writer that the English faculty tried to convince Philip to switch his major from math to English. He continued to pursue math. Computers and technology was just becoming “a thing” on campus. Philip was already familiar with computers because of what his Uncle Pierre taught him and another family friend gave him a computer. He would tinker with the computers and learn how to build them, fix them, and even program them just for fun. UC Irvine rolled out a computer science major; however, Philip would have had to stay in college an additional year if he switched his major. While Philip was a lover of learning, he was not necessarily a lover of school; hence, he opted to continue with math. In order to help with studying for all those math classes, Philip after having to take three courses in Music Appreciation as part of his graduation require- Ye are of God, ments learned the benefit of studying to music. During one of his study ses- sions, a friend let him listen to a jazz CD. He loved it. Bob James was his first little children, purchase and started his love affair with jazz. and have Philip had a strong work ethic. At the age of ten, Philip had his first job clean- overcome them: ing and tuning pianos. While he was in because college, again keeping with his love for learning, worked at Barnes and Nobles greater is he that is in you, than he that Bookstore. It gave him the opportunity to is in the world. read and get paid. He later got a job 1 John 4:4 working graveyard at Cal Trans. Shortly before graduating from college, Philip was given the opportunity to do an in- ternship with Arco after Peter Brown who was an engineer for Arco learned that Rusty was a math major and him to update and format the company assessment tests. When the President of the company saw how well Philip had done, he directed Peter Brown to hire Philip as an intern. Philip graduated from UC Irvine with his Bachelors of Science in Math- ematics in 1992. After Philip graduated from college, he was hired to work on a $5 million computer changeover project, worked in Canada, and was one of the youngest associates at Arco. After that pro- ject was completed, in 1994 he was highly recommended by

Althea Jenkins, Assistant Superintendent of Lynwood Unified School District, for an opportunity at Lynwood High School as a Computer Applications Instructor. Philip’s experience as a Computer Applica- tions Instructor positioned him to secure an opportunity with O’Mel- veny & Myers in Los Angeles as an Information Systems Trainer. That same year, he met Kisa McKinney and was married in 1995. From that union, Philip and Kisa were blessed with two beautiful children -- Philip Russell Grayson, III and Mia Ashley Grayson. Just like Rusty was the sunshine of his parents’ lives, so were PR and Mia for him. Following the example and foundation that his father laid for him, Rusty sought to continue to impart those lessons and instill in his children a love for learning. He gently guided and encour- aged them. He lovingly read to them every night. He patiently an- swered their questions. He shared his love for the stars, galaxies, and science. He proudly took them to Sabbath school and consist- ently demonstrated the love of Christ. Philip planted and cultivated seeds of excellence, in partnership with Kisa, that resulted in a beautiful harvest that he got to witness before he went on to be with the Lord. In 2020, PR and Mia graduated from college. PR graduated from Tuskegee University in Mechanical Engineering and Mia graduated from Middlebury College with a degree in Mo- lecular Biology and Biochemistry with a minor in Spanish. Indeed, Philip’s parents trained him up in the way he should go that when he was old, he did not depart from it (Proverbs 22:6). Throughout his childhood through college and adulthood, Philip was involved in ministry at Ephesus SDA and Mt. Rubidoux SDA. He was involved in youth ministry and used his gift for working with technology to serve in the media ministry, members with their tech issues, and even assist the church with its technical needs. Philip initially had a bout with colon cancer in 2014, which he overcame. That birthed a zest and passion to embrace and live life to the fullest every day. And that is exactly what he did. In 2015, he traveled to XXXXX. In February of 2016, he reconnected with an old friend from UC Irvine that he had known nearly thirty years be- fore. Little did he know that when he sent the friend re- quest on Facebook to Micki Poole a day before her birthday and took her to see Wicked that he would dis- cover that an old college friend would be the love of his life. For the next five years, Philip and Micki were insepa- rable. He proposed on August 21, 2017 during the solar eclipse and they became husband and wife on De- cember 30, 2017. She was his Bonnie and he was her Clyde. Whether they were at church, on a jazz cruise, at a rap concert, a science lecture, a sporting event, a museum, a magic show, a comedy show, or at home doing absolutely nothing, it did not matter, as long as they were together.

Philip loved God, his wife, his parents, his children, his extend- ed family, his friends, and learning. He had a love for life. He recognized that he was a flawed individual who needed God’s grace and mercy and was thankful that “God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved (John 3:17)\" Philip loved computers and loved solving computer prob- lems. Philip enjoyed good food and good music. He particular- ly liked jazz and acoustic and classical guitar. He liked listen- ing to audio books and pod- casts on science, science fic- tion, Clark Howard’s financial tips, and occasionally politics. He en- joyed watching the Discovery channel, interesting documentaries on the History Channel, Impractical Jokers, and cool science shows, like Impossible Engineering or How the Universe Works. He liked basketball and football. The Lakers and the Vikings were his favorite teams. He loved playing games, especially dominoes, whether face to face or online. Philip was a science buff. He enjoyed Star Trek and Star Wars. He loved Twilight Zone mara- thons. He loved his job and the O’Melveny & Myers Family. He loved solving people’s technology needs. He loved chips and salsa. He loved to travel. Philip was thankful and at peace for the life he lived. He was a man rich in love. His last days and moments were spent surrounded by expressions of love from family and friends. Philip Russell Grayson, Jr. went on to be with the Lord on January 28, He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. Revelation 21:4





FROM MOM & DAD WITH LOVE There are so many memories that we have of Rusty; it is hard to narrow them down to only a few. When Rusty was born, his father was so full of pride and joy, that as Mama Grayson recalls, was “the first time she saw a tears in Papa Grayson’s eyes when they handed him Rusty.” We could tell stories of the time Rusty was at the beach when he was a toddler and wanted to get undressed to get in the ocean because he thought he was taking a bath. We could tell about the time that Rusty had strings connected to tape and pennies to “engineer” being able turn off his lights from his bed. We could tell of when he was a baby and we trav- eled cross county from California to Boston to see Philip Sr.’s parents and we put Rusty on the door- steps and rang the doorbell for his grandmother to open the door to see “her baby!” There are memories of trips to Boston to Alabama to Niagara Falls to Hawaii and the time we went to Alaska. We remember his graduation from high school from Lynwood Academy. We remember when he got into college and graduated from UC Irvine and the most precious trip of them all was Rusty taking us on a three week trip to Florence, Rome, Tuscany, Piza, and a nine-day cruise to Sicily, Rhodes, Naples, Santorini, Athens, Greece, for our 50th wedding anniversary. Philip was so patient with us old folks – Dad, Mom, Sharon, Rosemary, and Linda. He drove us everywhere. When Rosemary broke her knee cap, he helped her. He pushed me to take a train to Venice and then went with me to Acropolis in Athens. There is no way we could have taken that trip without him. He was so patient and helpful. Thinking of Rusty: The first thoughts are of him being an, \"I am here for you\" person. In Rome or home he was there for me. Keeping me comfortable, eating ice cream while we waited in the van while all others viewed the Pope, climbing the leaning tower, and Sharon, Rusty and me at lunch, fixing my computer and much more. He was there for me. Aunt Rosemary



This is a tribute that Philip R. Grayson, Jr. wrote to his Dad just because. In reading what he wrote of his father, it is truly a reflection of Philip. Dad Some fathers take their sons fishing, some fathers take their sons to football games. Some fathers teach their sons how to barbecue, but you never did any of these things. Many of the typical things that fathers are known for doing, were never present in my upbringing. Honestly, I’m so glad that you are not typical. My father was present, fully present, in my life at every single point I needed him. When I was young, he taught me how to read. He taught me how to denote geo- metrical shapes. He taught me how to critically think. When I was a youth, taught me how to appreciate music, how to drive a car, and put forth my very best effort into my passions. Now as an adult, he has taught me how to treat others with the utmost respect, how to be a man, how to be a father. Nothing about this process was typical, yet nothing was lacking. In fact, the wealth of time dad invested into my upbringing goes beyond measure. Dad, I’ve looked up to you as a child and I still look up to you as an adult. You are a role model to me, more prominent that any the world has tried to place on young men. You remain a beacon of how a Godly man should carry himself. You possess the standard of what I will always endeavor to emulate. I love you Dad more than words can express. How fortunate am I to be the sole recipient of being your child. How blessed am I to have you in my life at all times. I love you beyond measure for being the most perfect father I could have ever imagined.

Dad, I love you more than you’ll ever know and more than words could ever express. I couldn’t have asked for a greater father than you. You’re one of the kindest, most loving, and most gentle souls I’ve had in my life and for that I will always be grateful. You were never more than a phone call away for any problem I had and were always willing to give us everything, especially the last bite of food on your plate. You never failed to answer any of my endless questions and taught me to al- ways be curious. Every time I look up and see the moon “following me” I’ll think of you. You fought so hard the first time around and gave it your very best this time. I would stay at your side a million more times if I had to. I know that you are no longer suffering and can now rest easy and that brings some peace. I’ll always always always have you in my heart and I know that I will see you again soon. I hope that I can continue to make you proud. I love you so very much! Love, Your mini me~your favorite daughter~Mimi~Mia Ashley



It's all about family. You were al- ways the quiet, calm, rational one. While we girls were loud and very vocal about everything! You were an amazing son, father, hus- band, cousin, friend, and son of the King of Kings! It's hard to imagine life without you, because you were always there! As a child is was al- ways the five of us living life to the fullest. We were inseparable; the five amigos!! It doesn't seem real that you won't be around, that there will be a missing link and a hole in our hearts. Our family get- togethers will never be the same without you Rusty! Thanking God for all the memories that we will forever cherish! Rest well cousin, we will see you again! ❤️❤️❤️Christina Nesbit-Corney Rusty, you will always hold a special place in my heart. You were in my wedding. Mia and PR were in Terri’s wedding. You hold the record for visiting us the most since we arrived in Utah. We got to meet Micki and you let us in on your secret that you were going to propose during the eclipse. Rusty, you fought a good fight! I love you cousin! RIP ❤ Debra King

I have waited to write to say anything...because words truly are insufficient to express the multitude of emotions I am feeling now. I know I need to sleep, but as I try to lie down and try to wrap my mind around this.... January 28, 2021 marked my beautiful daughter Ayzia’s 23rd birthday and the sunset of my best friend, my husband, my partner, my road dog, my homie, my lover, my teacher, my champion, my hero, my techno man and all that — Philip Russell Grayson, Jr. For those of you who had the pleasure of knowing Philip, even for a moment, I would suspect, more often than not, you would agree your life was better because you were blessed in some way by his kindness, com- passion, intelligence, patience, wit, love, generosity, graciousness, thoughtfulness, care, concern, friend- ship, or wisdom. Philip was a precious soul and truly a reflection of God’s light and love. Philip was an amazing man, husband, son, father, friend, supervisor, colleague, co-worker, cousin, uncle, nephew, and business man. He was the most amazing, kindest, gentlest, patient, considerate, romantic, easy going, consistent, strongest, encouraging, smartest, and sexiest man I have ever known. He was not a perfect man, but he was perfect for me. I am so thankful that the Lord blessed me with the honor and privilege of being his wife. Philip was truly a precious gift from God. He loved him some me and Lord knows I loved me some him. That man loved me so right and so tough that he made and broke the mold. Even our worst times were precious mo- ments that I will forever cherish. I respect, love, honor him. He was my prophet, king, and priest. As proph- et, Philip constantly spoke life and love over me and encouraged me. He celebrated me. As king, he did not rule with the iron first. Instead, he ruled with a quiet wisdom and by his example. He led by example. His life spoke. As the priest of our home, he led us and covered us in prayer every day. He was my protector and provider. I always felt safe with him, not only physically, but he protected by heart. As pro- vider, my honey worked hard every day and had an eagle eye and was always so attentive look for ways to be a blessing in my and oth- ers’ lives. I thank God for every moment with my honey from the moment we met 32 years ago on the campus of the University of California, Ir- vine at Campus Village apartments driving our Celicas to now. My most precious Philip, every tear that I cry is a prayer for strength to be able to make it through, a praise that you are no longer in pain, an offering of thanks that God gave me a sweet moment in time to be with you… You will forever be my love, my honey, my sweet thing, my man. Philip R. Grayson, Jr. 12:08 I am he and he is me mrgrayson

This morning, as I sat and thought of my honey and read through the reflections that so many have said and written about him, the words gentle, caring, helpful, patient, and kind kept coming up. It just hit me, Corinthians 13 speaks of love and says: Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love That describes Philip and the reflection of how he gently and consist- ently loved me and others. The love and the light that shown so brightly through his smile and eyes was not merely of Philip’s strength, but ra- ther it was and continues to be a reflection of God’s heart for us, in and through Jesus. God blessed Philip and me to find each other again as a reflection of His grace, mercy, and compassion. I will forever be grate- ful for God giving me Philip, even if for just a short season, for he was and is such a precious gift. In this space, in this place, in and between time, I am forever changed. I love you to the moon and back and be- yond. You will forever be where sweetness resides.

My Memories of Phil Grayson I met Phil and his young family at the Mt. Rubidoux SDA Church. He was a dashing young man full of smiles and a proud father of a son and a baby girl on the way. It didn’t take long for my family and his family to bond at our small but loving church where most everyone was treated like family. Phil loved my cooking and we shared many Sabbath dinners together. He had a quiet spirit but always willing to help in anyway especially in his gift of technology. He has come to my aid many of days to fix my computer or tell me straight out “Mama Ess you need to by a new computer”. He discovered that his favorite dish of mine was the potato salad. Phil and David Edwards would ask me ahead of time to make a large pan for their super bowl party. I would make at least 15 pounds of salad each year for them. Phil and David shared with me that the two of them would take a large bowl of the dish prior to the party starting because they knew as soon as the other guys discovered how good it was there would be no more. Our hearts are broken and Phil will be missed by all of us. One of our son’s is gone from earth but we must remember that God so loved the world He gave his only begotten Son. We are looking forward to seeing Phil again. Death is only the beginning. Mama Ess Phil was much loved and a helpful person to anyone who had computer problems! God bless and keep you all until we meet again. \"A Better Day!\" Miss Sylvia Penniman and Family

Dearest Grayson Family, My condolences to you on such a great loss. Phil was truly a uniquely kind and gentle soul. As I think of what knowing him for so many years meant, a few special memories come to mind. Knowing Phil meant someone was always there to answer my tech questions and retrieve docu- ments I had accidentally deleted. Years ago, I remember sending out an email to the children’s choir parents that had some major tech problem. Before I even realized there was a problem, I re- ceived a reply from Phil telling me how to fix it. He was considerate like that. Knowing Phil meant I had a trusted ally in the audio booth while the children’s choir performed. If Phil was in the booth, we were good. Solo mics would come on at the right time and the choir would be heard. Why? Partially because he cared the choir; but, mostly because he never forgot the impact choir made on two former choir members (PR and Mia) who meant the world to him. Knowing Phil meant feeling valued. Years ago, I was Mt. Rubidoux’s Cradle Roll teacher for Mia and Teacher Franchesca was the Kindergarten teacher for P.R. Phil let both of us know that neither of us could give up our church offices until his kids had graduated from both classes. All in one state- ment, he let us know that only the best would do for his kids and (in his opinion) we were it. I am sure going to miss Phil’s dry humor, support and the way he would say, “Hi, Auntie Donna.” I can’t wait for the day when God will raise the dead in Christ, we will see our loved ones again and be with the Lord forever more. I know that this loss is a great one. Nevertheless, be encouraged knowing that this is not the end. We have a hope. Much love, Auntie Donna

Family, My heart is heavy with the passing of my dear Brother Philip. He will be sorely missed, not only as a member of our media team, but as my road partner at the Staples Center where we went to many Lakers games. We had great times, I remember at one game he shared his excitement that he was in remission and that it appeared that he beat this thing first time around. I too was excited! Now that he has passed a piece of me goes with him. Know that my prayers are with you as you go through this time of grief. Remember God loves you and so do I. Phyllip Baker Sr.

It is with Great sadness that I inform the domino community that we've lost a domino brother... Philip R. Grayson Jr. Aka \"GRAYTER\". This brother was one of my PHARAOH ADMINS, but more than that he was a brother. He not Only did all my spreadsheets but he also kept highly detailed stats for every player, every opponent, every team. Bro was a King in Statistical Forensics... It was truly a blessing to be his Captain, and he will truly be missed! Rest in HEAVEN PHARAOH!!! You was so extremely helpful and great, now you can rest and be with KING OF KINGS NOW... YOU'LL FIT RIGHT IN!!! #GRAYTER (Please say a prayer for his family, dude was a great man!!! “Devastated to hear the news about Philip. He definitely was a source of light in the Newport of- fice. Your kind words about Philip made me think fondly about my time there and the numerous times he helped me with IT issues and shared friendly conversations. I couldn’t have asked for a better first big law gig coming out of law school with all the great people I met and worked with in the Newport office. He’ll definitely be missed.” Gilbert Villaflor I am saddened by Phil's passing. I'll never forget how kind he was to my summer class, and how pa- tient, knowledgeable and generous he was with his time whenever we had any technical issues. He was also a great colleague, and I recall having conversations with him over lunch about his kids - and specifically about his son's desire to pursue law. I know he will be truly missed by the OMM family. “ Parth Bhatt

When I began my college life at UC Irvine as a freshman, I experienced for the first time liv- ing away from home with three total strangers. I didn’t have much expectations good or bad from roommates and that year finished with all of us going our separate ways. My second year as a sophomore brought another three total random strangers to be my roommates. I never would have imagined that two of them would be lifelong friends. One of them happens to Philip Grayson. Philip and I shared countless meals together. We would take turns saying grace He would reach out his hand to me and I would reach out to him and as we held our hands, we would say grace, he as a 7th Day Adventist, and I as a Roman Catholic. These meal times that we shared were a time of peace and joy. Life was difficult being a student and deal- ing with the issues of the times, but when I was with him during those moments, I forgot all my problems and just enjoyed the moment and appreciated his warmth and kindness. Several months before Phil’s wedding to Micki, Phil called me to get together for lunch. I happened to be working in the Newport Beach area at the time, and it worked out for us to get together for lunch. It had been a long time since we had a chat, and he shared about some of the health issues that he had struggled with. It seemed that he had overcome them. Phil, was one of the few people that really knew me even better than I knew myself. Then, not too much time passed, and I got the invitation to his wedding. I was very happy to see him find love in his life and it was such a joy to be part of the celebration. It saddens me that I missed out on more opportunities to have spent time with him. I counted on the future when the busyness of life would subdue for that. Now, it’s too late. Philip was one of the few, rare friends in my life that journeyed with me during the most important periods of my life during college and helped me to get through those difficult times. I will always be grateful for our friendship. I will miss him dearly. Young-Suk Peter Cho

Wow Micki, this is unbelievably heartbreaking. I so vividly re- member our days at UC Irvine and seeing Philip around cam- pus. He was always so pleasant, smiling and seemed so very focused. I noticed that whenever Philip showed up in certain circles, there was one common denominator….and that was you Micki. I saw it. Even though you two weren’t a “thing” back then, he was definitely drawn to you girl. Fast forward to almost 30 years later and God orchestrated something great. When you told me that Philip was your “Boo,” I was floored and so happy for you. Wow!! Full circle and a perfect union. What a joy it was to witness your nuptials and observe such a beautiful union. What a whirlwind love affair!! Thank you Philip for finding my friend again and loving her so deep- ly and so beautifully for the last few years. You’re the star of the story that she’ll always tell. Rest well Sir…. Arnetta White-Mack Please accept my deepest condolences and sympathy for your great loss. Philip was an awesome per- son. He will be so missed. My Memory with Philip: # 1—I met Philip at the Old Rubidoux on Avalon. He was such a kindhearted young man. I knew his par- ents already, but had not had the chance to meet him. So when I discovered he was Philip Sr. and Mar- lene’s son I was ecstatic. I was in Grad School back in the late 90’s and early 2000’s. I was working on a paper that was due the next day. It was a major part of my classwork and grade. I was up all night! At about 3:30 a.m. I lost the paper. I’m not sure if I hit a wrong button or what, but I could not retrieve that paper to save my life. I panicked. I cried. I was at a loss of what to do. About 5 a.m. I got enough nerves up to call Phil. I told him the situation, and he told me not to cry and not to worry; he’d be by before he went to work to see if he could retrieve it. At 6 a.m. my doorbell rang. It was Phil. He came up to my of- fice and went straight to work. Not only did he retrieve my paper, but explained to me what I had done and showed me what to do if it happened again. I tried to pay him, but if you know Philip, he would not take it. This one was not a job for him—it was a favor for a friend! I’ll never forget that. #2—My second memory was the Rites of Passage that we ran for 10 years at Mt. Rubidoux. Between Philip and Travis Tramel, I never had to worry about having a videographer to film each program. When they could no longer do the job, they referred me to a competent videographer in Loma Linda. They were always so supportive. When I think of the Fruit of the Spirit mentioned in Galatians 5:22, I think of Philip Grayson, who exemplified so many, if not all of them—Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness and Self-Control. Thank you for being you, Philip! You will never be forgotten. Ernestine Brown MSN PHN RN This is so very sad. Thank your for letting me know. Philip was a huge Lakers fan. We had many fun conversations in the heyday of the Spurs/Lakers rivalry. He helped Bob and I with IT issues from time to time even after we left the firm. I will miss him. Ken Parker

My heart goes out to the Grayson family. I had the honor to work with Philip for ten years. During that time, I became very fond of him. He taught me how to be a good leader in the work environment. He was an amazing friend and I will forever be grateful for those moments. I will always remember how his face would light up every time he spoke about his beautiful wife Micki and his loving children. I will al- ways remember the great times we had talking and sharing family moments. Nick Loaiza and Family I hope you can feel God’s arms & ours around you & your family! We love you all & your be- loved Rusty! May God’s peace & comfort continue to be with all of you! My fondest memory of Rusty was when I asked him if he would run the audio-visual equipment @ my mother-n-law’s surprise 80th B’day party. He did not know that it would be held in San Francis- co, Ca. He being one of the most gracious, humble, and kind men that I know, accepted the challenge. He did a fabulous job! He was always smiling and made you feel special when he greeted you! Rest well my friend, we’ll see you in the morning!. With all our love, Fred & Renee Davis! It would take a book to write how I feel about Rusty. I am so glad I met Phil when I came to Rubidoux in 1996. he was a brother to me and an uncle to Bertheno, and I am so grateful for the love and support he gave to us while at the little Church on Avalon and there-after. I just want to say I will miss that smile and his kind-hearted ways. I send love to all the family and to Mrs. Grayson (Micki) Rest in peace my brother. These few words does not equate to the enormous love and respect I had for you throughout our years to- gether, at church and on the softball field. Love Lena

Good evening. First of all, I want to send my deepest condolences to you. Phillip was a friend, a fellow member of Mt. Rubidoux Church, and he and I were colleagues in high school at Lynwood Adventist Academy. I was totally shocked and devastated to hear the sad, sad news. Phillip was indeed one of the nicest people on the planet. So, I’d like to take a moment to recall a few humorous memories of Phillip. So, it was 1986 at Lynwood Adventist Academy. I was a junior then, and had earned my stripes to be called an upper class member. By that time, the Lynwood crew and I had donned our 1980’s Guess jean jackets, flashed our imitation Salt N Pepper leath- er outfits, rolled down our pink neon socks, styled our hair into the Gumby cut, worn our basket weave braids, slanted our Kangol hats, pretended to wear our dookie gold chains (we weren’t allowed to wear jewelry at that school), danced to Chaka Khan’s I Feel For You, and fake rapped to Run DMC. We were a rag-tag bunch; a posse of black, urban kids, but we were set. Yes. Lynwood! Until, ...they came. The South Bay Junior Academy crew. Yeah, I know. Probably a gang. They sounded dangerous. It was Phillip Grayson, David Hall, and those infamous twins, Lisa and Jeffrey Hall. They came during our junior year and busted up our Lynwood joint! We would never be the same. It all started like this. As I sat in my used, 1977, yellow Honda CVCC (with a moon roof), you couldn’t tell me nuthin’. Mmm huh. I was the it. Suddenly, I looked in my rear view mirror and saw THEM, the SBJA. They descended upon our perfect little world and disrupted our ghetto haven, in their nice, chosen-from-the-floor room cars. There Phillip was. He had driven into the back parking lot with a Japanese model car. No scratches, no smoke coming from the tail pipes. Just a nice car. How could that be? You have to understand that we Lynwood folk had hoopties, a bunch of raggedy cars, with faded paint, double dents, and hanging mufflers. It was the culture. An acceptable culture. Who were these caravan of carpoolers with “normal” cars?! Nevertheless, me being the friendly one, I decided to approach the new natives and tried to befriend that Philip character. I said, “I’m Roxanne. Nice car.” He replied, “Oh, this thing? Thanks.” Then, he said something that would reverberate and crack the very depths of my soul. He chimed, “Roxanne, you know your car looks like a shoe.” Eeeks. Eegack. My car world had been shattered. Ooh. The nerve. I said to myself, Oh! It’s on. Let the competi- tion begin!” I knew from that moment on, Philip and I would have friendly competitions. And, if that car shoe incident hadn’t been insult enough, Philip just had to up the ante. One day, he pulled up in a black, 280 ZX sports car. Yes, he did! Oh how the whole school marveled. I looked at that car and was in awe too. The exterior was super shiny, the rims were stylish, and the interior smelled like a new car. Philip glibly said, “Oh. It’s my dad’s car, but I can drive it.” Humpf. The gauntlet had been thrown. That car standard had been set. From that day forward, the whole school started bringing their parents’ cars to the back parking lot, just for bragging rights. I too brought my mother’s brand new Nissan Maxima, just to parade it in front of Philip. The competition was real. Now, when it came to academics, the competition continued. I had my eye on the top honor, valedictorian, and at the end of my sophomore year, my stiffest competition was only two other people. Everybody knew that the valedictorian and salutatorian was a great honor, and we were in the home stretch. However, I had to keep my eye on that Philip guy. Rumor was that he was super smart, and was known to mess up the GPA curve. Philip then became another com- petitor. (Actually, I always knew that Angela Gresham was my competition), but this Philip fellow started to give me a run for my money too). Darn! How could he be so good in Math! Philip, who knew Math was my Achilles heel and his strength, would sarcastically and humorously jest, “So, Roxanne. What score did you get on your Math test? I’d reply, “Ok, pal. You beat me here again in Math, but don’t forget that my overall GPA is still higher than yours!” Well, that would si- lence and fix him for a spell. Back and forth, and back and forth were the GPA and test score comparisons. Sometimes he won the battle, and sometimes I won. It was all friendly competition. Then, finally, one final and great battle day, it was over. The war was over, and I had won! I was salutatorian. Yes. I had beaten Philip Grayson in the GPA world. So, I delivered my salutatorian speech at graduation, walked down the auditori- um aisle, exited, got in my car, and drove my yellow shoe off into the sunset. On a serious note, Philip was the nicest, smartest and gentlest person on the face of the planet. His nature was so giving. I wish he and I could still have another friendly battle. I am so sad that he lost his battle in life. However, I know that he won the war actually, because he won over the hearts and minds of many. My only regret is that I didn’t get to say goodbye. Rest in power, my friend. Roxanne Fagan Williams, former classmate





Last week, Amy shared the news of Philip’s passing with our alumni community. We compiled the responses and offer our tributes. Micki, what struck me was how beloved Philip was to everyone— from staff like me, to first year associates, to partners. He was kind and patient with everyone. And it’s one of the many reasons we loved him so. Sending deepest sympathy and heartfelt condolences. With Love, Rochelle Rusty....my Berean Brother in the 70's, 80's & 90's and then Mt. Rubidoux. Quiet at times, funny, intelligent, strong friend. You will truly be missed. Sincerely, Shannon Bogar-Kirkwood I was very close to the Grayson family when my children were small, they grew up together. Phil was an amazing uncle. One of my best memories with Phil was him becoming my prayer buddy. We used to meet in the parking lot of La Sierra Academy, after dropping off the kids we would pray for our children and family in general. Phill was an amazing friend to me, when my husband left the family he was such a great uncle to my girls. He stepped in and helped with giving the girls rides to school or picking them up from school. I will forever treasure this friendship. May God continue to hold each of your hearts as you grieve the loss in the flesh. As we will one day be together in the presence of our Fa- ther. AMEN Best Regards, Norma Ramona Abarca-Christón Sending you love and lifting you, his children and family in prayer. I was in the Mt Rubidoux drama ministry with Philip. The thing that I remember most about Philip, really was his smile. He smiled and talked at the same time most of the time. We enjoyed that ministry. Good times, good laughs. Big hugs to you Micki . Sincerely, Mary Simpkins.

From the O’MELVENY & MYERS Fam with love The O’Melveny community mourns the passing of Philip Grayson, who had been bravely battling colon cancer. Philip’s memory will be forever cherished by all who had the good fortune to work with him. As Newport Beach’s Technical Services Supervisor, Philip worked with colleagues throughout that office—as well as lawyers and staff across the firm. And he did so for over a quarter century, completing 25 years of service in Novem- ber. Ever cheerful and always ready to help, Philip never broke a sweat or lost his smile. He personified our values with his steady confidence, caring nature, and commit- ment to excellence at all times. Philip was known as a gentle soul and an exceedingly bright and kind person. He brought calm in the face of chaos and showed enormous grace under pressure. And he had a seemingly infinite reserve of pa- tience, even when assisting those who hadn’t remembered to turn on their computers before asking for help. He took such requests in stride, and without passing judgment. He was even better when there were real technical hurdles to overcome, just before a hearing or a high-stakes negotiation. His work ethic was boundless: he even served as many attorneys’ personal IT support, including many retired partners. No matter the problem—and no matter how panicked, impatient, or frustrat- ed we might be—he would fix it. And he always made it look easy. Not only was Philip a stalwart in the Newport Beach office, he was a fixture at many firmwide events and committee meetings. True to same generous spirit that made him a such an outstanding colleague, Philip was also a huge supporter of the local community, consistently helping to lead the United Way campaign and Pro- ject SELF program. Philip was the kind of person who made all of us better, someone you encounter once in a lifetime, and we will miss him dearly.

By Erik Cork People fall in love not even realizing they are mutu- ally falling. They hear their hearts helplessly saying, \"YES\" to messages & phone calls because \"The One\" just might be texting, or better yet - CALLING. A million little exchanges they share without keeping track AS THEY ARE DOING THEM. Thoughtful gestures become like daily SUBSCRIPTIONS. One touch or a verbal confirmation is all it takes for both of them to keep renewing them. A million little things he does to make her smile and hold her attention. Too many sweet nothings she keeps whispering in his ear as they BOTH forget to mention how much they stay on each other's mind...and think of being together, like, ya' know...ALL the time. Both forget to be fearful and afraid of rejection. Nei- ther ever says, \"Let's slow down because I need some space.\" Both believe as they glance at the other they are gazing at their own futures in some- one else's sweet face.❤ A million meaningful & mutually organic moments that add seasoning & substance to future words such as, \"I Do.\" So many unselfish little nuggets add- ed to the richness of their romance causing each to ask the other, \"Baby, how did you MAKE ME love you?\" A million magical moments compressed together ever since the day the two first met. Neither of them can fully explain the warm sensation of comforting chills, nor the passionate goosebumps they BOTH get. It's like asking them, \"Why did God choose to make grass GREEN?\" or \"Why in the world is water WET?\" It just IS. She IS. They ARE. He is a spirit she feels which he allows her to freely touch. He follows up his words

with ACTIONS, which made her FIRST admire him, then inspired her to RESPECT him so much. She nev- er condemns him for not \"reading her mind\" from afar - like a perplexed & puzzled astronomer who only interprets the theories of men before him to gain insight & understanding of a distantly beauti- ful, but complex & untouchable star. They simply shrug their shoulders and say to the world, \"Why look a gift horse in the mouth?\" Nei- ther feels compelled to dissect the stardust DNA of their cool chemistry, nor give a detailed disserta- tion TO OTHERS describing what their connection is all about. Neither was looking for constant contact, nor for \"forever feelings\" when their frequencies resonated & merged. They were just chillin', self-lovin' & up- grading their own attitudes as their vibes just kinda hooked up & converged. They pour daily EFFORT into making the words, \"Good Morning\" something they both go to sleep looking forward to. Then they wake up listening to their lips involuntarily sighing & saying, \"Hi Baby\", \"Hey There\" and \"Hey You!!\" A million little things make their happiness happen in the absence of excessive mentioning of the past & hurtful offenses. People keep asking them, \"What did she (or he) DO to penetrate your soul & to climb over your wall? How did they manage to melt your heart's jaded defenses? They can only put their fingers on consistent habits that keep the flame of their attraction alive & de- liberately re-lit. A million little things seem to just keep happening. It's like explaining HOW \"Who Let The Dogs Out\" became a mega-hit?!?!? They stopped trying to figure it out. They just em- brace the beauty of each new day. Don't ask them what kept them intrigued & interested? \"IT JUST HAPPENED\" will be the only response they can think of to say.⚘

On behalf of the Grayson family, thank you for your heartfelt prayers, reflections, and other expressions of love and sympathy during this time. We truly appreciate you and your kindness. May the Lord bless you and keep you. Final Arrangements Entrusted to McKay’s Family Mortuary Fontana, California Technical Support Services Crowd Control Internment Olivewood Cemetery Riverside, California Catering Services Fushions with Chef Shawn Memory Book Designed by: Arnetta of Mack Enterprises Unlimited 323-789-6224 / IG: Mackenterprises1