Zilfa Estcourt

Zilfa Estcourt (born Zilpha Eugenie Phillips, May 3, 1883 – December 17, 1959) was an American newspaper columnist and editor. Described variously as "the dean of west coast woman writers"^[3] and as being "to newspapers what Ethel Barrymore is to the stage,"^[4] Estcourt was the women's editor at the Tacoma Tribune^[5][6] and San Francisco Chronicle.^[7]

Zilfa Estcourt
Excerpted from May 1904 news story simultaneously commemorating Phillips' college graduation and post-graduate scholarship.
Born	Zilpha Eugenie Phillips (1883-05-03)May 3, 1883 Black River Falls, Wisconsin, U.S.
Died	December 17, 1959(1959-12-17) (aged 76) San Francisco, California, U.S.
Other names	Zilfa Phillips
Alma mater	Whitworth College, University of Chicago
Occupation	Journalist
Years active	1914–1948
Spouse	Harry Slocum Estcourt ​ ​ (m. 1921; died 1937)​ [1][2]

Early life and career

On May 3, 1883, Zilpha Eugenie Phillips was born in Black River Falls, Wisconsin, the oldest of four children born to Thomas Henry Phillips and Emma Eugenie Jesse.^[8] Sometime between 1991 and 1900, the family relocated to Tacoma, Washington,^[9][10] and, in 1904, Pillips received a Bachelor of Art's degree from Whitworth College in Spokane.^[11] At that time, she was awarded a scholarship to the University of Chicago,^[12] where she earned her master's degree the following year.^[13][14]

Death

On December 17, 1959, Estcourt, whose health had been failing since her retirement in 1949, died in a San Francisco nursing home.^[14]