Dr. Austin L. Phillips, Sr.

July 1, 2016

Dr. Austin Luther Phillips Sr., age 74, entered the Gates of Glory on July 1st, 2016, at his home surrounded by family and friends.

The funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, July 6, 2016 at Morningside Baptist Church with Pastor Tom Lancastor, Pastor Billy Duggan, Pastor Dwight Deal, and Mrs. Margaret Kennedy officiating. Interment will follow at Oak City Cemetery with Bobby Price, Curt Hamblin, Johnny Wacaser, Terry Hines, Roy Simpson, and Carl Lynn serving as active pallbearers. Curtis Wacaser and Dewey Robinson will serve as honorary pallbearers.

The family will receive friends from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 5, 2016 at Ivey Funeral Home. Online visitors may sign the guest register at www.iveyfuneral.com. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to: Howard Grove Baptist Church, 5824 South County Road 55, Cottonwood, AL 36320 or Heartland International Missions, PO Box 23, Mission, KS 66201.

Austin was born in Bainbridge, Ga. on December 11th, 1941, to Austin P. and Mattie Ellen Phillips. After attending Bainbridge High School, Austin served in the U.S. Air Force. He then furthered his education at North Texas State University, Trinity College, and Bob Jones University, before receiving his Doctorate from Luther Rice Seminary.

Austin pastored for 50 years serving Morningside Baptist Church and Fellowship Baptist in Bainbridge Ga., Ridgecrest Baptist, Beulah Baptist and Howard Grove in the Dothan area, and Calvary Baptist in Winter Haven, Fla.

Having a heart for missions, Austin served under Heartland International Missions in the countries of Nicaragua, Philippines and India, where he trained pastors and educators. Austin’s passion was studying, writing, and teaching God’s Word and sharing the gospel everywhere he went!

Survivors include his wife of 50 years, Janet Player Phillips of Dothan, Ala., Ga.; his children, Austin L. Phillips Jr. and his wife, Rachel, of Cartersville, Ga., Stephen Phillips and his wife, Wendy, of Locust Grove, Ga., Angela Santan of Columbus, Ohio and April Kenyon of Cumming, Ga.; his six grandsons, Austin Phillips, Kellen and Carter Phillips, Logan Santan, and Caleb and Parker Kenyon; his sisters, Sara Ellen Donalson and June Ringwalt Mood, and several nieces and nephews.