Phillip Thomas Reither

Phillip Thomas “Phil” Reither, 43, of Denver, Colorado, passed away unexpectedly on August 26, 2026.

Phil was born on September 30, 1982, in St. Louis, Missouri, to Michael E. Reither and Mary Janice Reither. He grew up in South County St. Louis alongside his sister, Joanna, and brother, Michael.

Phil attended Kennerly Elementary School and Chaminade College Preparatory School in Frontenac, Missouri. He went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Criminology from the University of Missouri–St. Louis and his Juris Doctor degree from Saint Louis University School of Law.

Phil built his career as an attorney specializing in personal injury law. He practiced with Boggs, Avellino, Lach & Boggs in the St. Louis area before making Denver his home, where he worked with Ramos Law, Burg Simpson, RM Law, Baker Law Group and Sandomire & Kuberry. Phil brought both intelligence and humanity to his work. He was highly analytical and a gifted writer, but just as importantly, he was down-to-earth, compassionate, and deeply empathetic. He had a particular concern for people who needed someone in their corner and cared deeply about fairness and the “little guy.”

Those who knew Phil, however, knew that a list of schools, degrees, and jobs could never really explain who he was.

Phil was sweet, tenderhearted, highly intelligent, funny, sensitive, loving, analytical, and wonderfully quirky. He was an exceptional listener with a compassionate nature and an unmistakable sense of humor. His wit could be dry and sharp, and he had a way with words—sometimes inventing or changing them in ways that somehow caught on with everyone around him. He also possessed a world-class eye roll that frequently said everything that needed to be said.

Phil loved his family deeply and showed it in quiet, thoughtful ways. He might surprise someone with a small gift simply because it made him think of them or give them a book he thought they would enjoy. To his parents, “I love you, toot” became a familiar Phil expression. His gentleness was perhaps most obvious around animals, especially his beloved dog, Penny, whom he adored.

Music was one of the great joys of Phil’s life. His tastes ranged from the String Cheese Incident and Pink Floyd to Metallica, Alice Cooper, Megadeth, Ozzy Osbourne, Pantera, Sepultura, Danzig, the Misfits, Eric Clapton, B.B. King, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Billy Strings, among others.

Some of his family’s favorite memories were made at concerts. Phil attended his first Metallica show in 1994 at Riverport Amphitheater in St. Louis with his parents and brother, Mike. That began a lifetime of shows and musical adventures. Phil and Mike attended countless concerts together over the years, including many String Cheese Incident shows at venues throughout Colorado such as Red Rocks, Mission Ballroom, and Dillon Amphitheater. In 2025, they saw Metallica at Mile High with their nephew Zack—a fitting continuation of something that had begun more than 30 years earlier.

Phil may have been shy by nature, but he loved the energy and mayhem of a great metal show. One legendary family memory involved Mike taking him to see Sepultura at Mississippi Nights in St. Louis in the 1990s, where Phil took in a pit scene that was about as wild as they came.

Hockey was another lifelong love. Phil played as a child and later in adult leagues, and he remained an enthusiastic fan of the St. Louis Blues, University of Denver hockey, and the Colorado Avalanche. He also loved Cardinals baseball.

Outside the arena or concert venue, Phil enjoyed hiking, movies, traveling, spending time with friends and family, and enjoying good food. He had a particular appreciation for chicken wings, barbecue, pizza, a good cheeseburger, and fried chicken. Favorite St. Louis spots such as Hodak’s and The Haven held a special place in his heart.

Some of Phil’s happiest memories were simple ones: backyard barbecues at his home in St. Louis, time spent with family in Denver at Mike and Angelica’s home, family trips to Disney World when his nephews Jake and Zack were young, and celebrating his 40th birthday in New Orleans with his brother and friends.

Phil loved people deeply. He was a devoted son, brother, brother-in-law, uncle, cousin, and friend. His family will remember his gentle nature, his humor and quirks, his thoughtfulness, and the genuine tenderness with which he treated the people—and animals—he loved.

Phil is survived by his parents, Michael E. and Mary Janice Reither; his sister, Joanna Brady; his brother, Michael J. Reither, and sister-in-law, Angelica Nelson; his nephews Jacob Brady and Zachary Brady; his niece, Annika Nelson; his cousins Todd (Caroline) Reither and Scott (Tiffany) Reither; his uncle Tom (Paul) Hake; his aunt Cathy Bohaty; his beloved dog, Penny, and many extended family members and dear friends.

Among the friends who held an important place in Phil’s life were Jason Herndon, Kelly Williams, Matt Perrine, Joe Grasso, and Michael Torretti.

Phil was preceded in death by his grandparents, Earl and Hazel Reither, and his uncles, Keith and Kevin Reither.

There will be countless things his family and friends will miss about Phil: his wit, his eye roll, his unusual turns of phrase, his opinions, his tenderness with his dogs, his ability to listen, the little gifts that showed he had been thinking about someone, and the laughter that came from simply spending time with him.

But more than anything, they will miss his heart.

Phil was deeply loved. His life was far too short, but the love, laughter, music, memories, and unmistakable bit of quirkiness he brought into the lives of those who knew him will remain.

A Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, September 26, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. at the home of Mike and Angelica, with a barbecue immediately following.

In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes memorial donations to the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation or Humane Colorado, formerly the Dumb Friends League, in Phil’s memory.