Daddy's Obituary

The following is a medium-long-sized obituary I wrote for my dad to be published in Anderson's local newspaper, The Herald Bulletin.

If you're anywhere that you're able to get your hands on the actual newspaper, you'll also be able to see a very sweet picture of him that was taken several years ago.

He has plenty of more current pictures, but a face-shot (as in a studio picture) was needed to go with the obituary, and we had to get our hands on one very spur-of-the-moment-like, because we really weren't expecting to need to do this so soon.

At this time, it's still hard to believe that Daddy has passed on. I wish I could wake up and change the channel on this nightmare I'm having--but that's just me, as I know that Daddy is very happy now and wants me to be also. . .




On the morning of February 2, 2004, Raymond W. "Ray" Phillips, 86, was called Home to Heaven from his window-view bed at Rawlins House in Pendleton.

He was born to Sgt. Chester and Mabel (nee: Phelps) Phillips on November 5, 1917 at Ft. Hayes (near Columbus, OH) and grew up in the vincinity of Ft. Harrison, getting his first job delivering newspapers when he was just seven years old and graduating from Lawrence High School in 1935.

He was in the Army Reserves at Ft. Harrison until he was called to serve in World War II--at which time unexplained high blood-pressure caused him to be honorably-discharged. It would later be discovered that he had been born with a defective aorta, which was corrected with open-heart surgery in the fall of 1962.

He moved to Anderson in 1942, starting out working at Plant 1 of Delco-Remy in accounts receivable and working in shop accounting at many of the other plants with most of his time spent at Plant 3, from which he retired in 1974.

He faithfully attended Colonial UMC where his angelic smile and friendly spirit brought an extra-special glow to every service.

Although he no longer lived in the area where he was active in it, he kept up his membership at Mystic Circle Masonic Lodge in Lawrence well into his golden years--and, when it came to getting together with old schoolmates at reunions, remained active.

Besides his parents and his step-mother, Lainie, he was preceded in death by his sister and brother-in-law, Ruby & Roy Alexander; his brother, Jim Phillips; his nephew-in-law, Tom Michael; and several aunts, uncles, and cousins.
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He leaves behind his wife, Ainsley (nee: Jobe) Phillips, whom he married on February 8, 1947 after a nine-month courtship and his daughter, Ainsley Jo Phillips, both of Anderson.

He is also survived by his sister, Evelyn Jeanette "Jennie" (husband Ishmael "Dick") Combs, of Pembroke Pines, FL; and former sister-in-law, Mary Phillips, of Bowling Green, KY

Several nieces, nephews, and their families also survive.

Nieces are:

Carolyn Grosswiler of Marion; Barbara (husband Bob) Fox of Anderson; Susan (widow of Tom) Michael of Marion; Cathy (husband Doug) Beerbower of Ft. Wayne; and Denise (soulmate Shirley Stroup) Abshire of McCordsville.

Nephews are:

Phil (wife Sandy) Alexander of Fairfield, OH; Jim (wife Linda) Combs of Pembroke Pines, FL; David (wife Jackie) Phillips of Tiffin, OH, and Tommy Phillips of Bowling Green, KY.

His wife's brothers married women with grown children also making him a step-uncle who was closest to the two step-nephews still in high school at the time of the marriages: Henry (wife Marion) Duran of Oroville, CA and Danny (wife Deanna) Minnick of Brazil, IN.

Also several cousins, step-siblings, and their families survive.

Ray was a second parent to several people, among them: Mark & Barbara Tankersley of Madison, TN; Sharon "Pinky" Young, Larry "Bud" Young, and Kevin Price, all of Anderson; Diana (husband Howard) Foreman of Muncie; Edith Addington of the country of Lebanon; and Ken Merck (deceased), and also was an extra (and much loved) grandparent for his daughter's godchildren.

He'll also be missed dearly by many, many friends.

Visitation will be at Robert D. Loose Funeral Home South from 4-8 p.m. on Friday. The service will be at 1 p.m. on Saturday with Pastor Jerry Alexander of Colonial UMC. officiating. Weather permitting, his earthly remains will be laid to rest at two in the afternoon the following Monday at Cunot Cemetery in Cunot.