Western Dubuque Remembering Bobcat Alumn Derek Phillips

The Western Dubuque community is remembering one of their own.

Derek Phillips, the University of Iowa Hawkeye Marching Band member who passed away this week, was a former Bobcat. The Daily Iowan says Phillips collapsed right before the band was to play the halftime show of the season-opening football game on Saturday at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City. 

Phillips’s family confirmed the information in a post made on his Instagram account. The post says Phillips was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit at UI Health Care. It was determined he suffered severe brain damage resulting from cardiac arrest. He was taken off life support earlier this week.

Phillips was a 2024 graduate of Western Dubuque High School in Epworth. The Western Dubuque Fine Arts Booster Club shared a tribute to Phillips on their Facebook page on Tuesday night. “Whether he was performing on stage, playing in the band, singing and dancing in the show choir or competing in speech competitions, he always delivered an outstanding performance. During his time at Western Dubuque, Derek was a member of the Bobcat Marching Band, concert band, jazz band, pep band, fusion band, 5th Avenue Show Choir, chamber choir, fall plays, spring musicals, and speech. He not only participated, he invested himself and led by example. He elevated every group he was a part of. His talent was undeniable and his influence reaches far beyond his time in our programs.” The Western Dubuque Fine Arts Booster Club says their thoughts and prayers go out to the Phillips family during this time.

Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz, Governor Kim Reynolds and college marching bands from across the country have also shared their condolences on Phillips’ passing. In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Governor Reynolds shared, “The Hawkeye Nation and Iowans across the state are heartbroken over the death of Hawkeye Marching Band member Derek Phillips. Our prayers are with his parents, family members, friends, and the Iowa band during this very difficult time.”

partial story contribution courtesy of Radio Iowa; image courtesy of Western Dubuque Fine Arts Booster Club/FB