Phillip Michael Rieckert

Mr. Phillip (Phil) Michael Rieckert passed away peacefully on Thursday, February 17,2022 in Columbia County, GA surrounded by family. Born in Cambridge, MD on July 3, 1962, he loved to tell childhood stories of his upbringing on the Eastern Shore that included duck-hunting, playing tennis, boating and many other family memories from both the Eastern Shore and nearby Ocean City, MD. He was proud of his Tiger tennis days at the Woodberry Forest School in Orange, VA and his time at the University of Richmond where he served as a two-time captain of this Division I Spider tennis program and majored in Journalism. Phil always enjoyed sharing stories of his tennis-playing days with his children and their coaches, and even in recent years, we all struggled to get a ‘Phil Rieckert” backhand dropshot. But Phil was most proud of his five children. His oldest daughter’s love of animals translated into her profession as an accomplished veterinarian in the Baltimore, MD area. Phil was always proud of his oldest son’s musical talents and interests,and loved traveling to junior tennis tournaments these past few years with his youngest three. He was even able to pretend to be a “Hokie” fan for a bit and abandon his “Richmond Spider”legacy when his daughter, Taylor, signed this past Fall to play tennis for the Virginia Tech Hokies.

Phil stayed involved in tennis after college by teaching. He taught in Bethany Beach, DE, at the Sea Colony tennis resort, the Somerset Hills Country Club in Bernardsville, NJ, and the Twin Oaks Tennis and Fitness Center in Morristown, NJ, where Phil ultimately became the manager and later the owner. A business investment in the Club at Raes Creek (a tennis and fitness center)brought Phil and family to Augusta, GA in 2012. While at Raes Creek, Phil was most proud of hosting a Women’s Collegiate Invitational, along with a premier HS Boys Invitational including Augusta Prep, Charlotte Latin, South Aiken, and a sentimental favorite, The Woodberry Forest School.

Phil was an aficionado of golf statistics, his mother’s artwork, his orange tabby cat, Simon, Thai and hibachi food, flank steak, peanut butter on anything, classical music, Star Trek, and great conversations with friends/family over a game of dice, ping-pong, darts, bowling or his ultimate favorites, Rumba, the card game Skat, and Boggle. He was strong-willed, quite stubborn and competitive (especially in a game of Boggle), creative and kind. He will be so missed and his memory will live on through many.

Phillip is preceded in death by his parents, Dr. Peter W. and Mary Talbot Rieckert. Survivors include his wife of nineteen years, Tracy Mary, brother Peter Frank, sister Amy Katarina, daughters Dr. Krista Marie (Alexander Wessels), Taylor Katarina, sons Michael Jay, Justin Phillip and Austin Benjamin, Godmother Rose Lindlar, along with many nieces, nephews, dear friendsand colleagues.

A funeral mass will be offered on March 25th at 11:00 AM in the chapel of St. Teresa of Avila church in Grovetown, GA. Immediately following the mass, the family will receive friends in the Parish Life Center for light refreshments. A private family luncheon will follow. Those desiring to make a memorial contribution ask you to consider the Phillip Rieckert “Backhand Dropshot” Memorial www.thephilliprieckertaward.com This award will be dedicated to graduating student-athlete seniors in the Central Savannah River Area who have demonstrated exemplary leadership skills through their sport or community. Notes of personal thought and tribute may be offered to the contact information provided on the memorial site.