William P. “Billy” Phillips

December 25, 2016

William P. “Billy” Phillips, 79, of Climax, Ga., passed away Sunday, December 25, 2016.

The funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, December 28, 2016, at West Street Baptist Church with Rev. Haskell White officiating. Interment will follow at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church Cemetery with Tate Phillips, Noah Phillips, Andrew Phillips, Troupe Tabb, Matt Moree, and James William Harrison serving as active pallbearers. Jim Miller, Denorris Wright, Melvin Cloud, John Watts, Sr., Wayne Thomas, Marion Moore, John Watts, Jr., Emmett Moore, Maurice Wynn, Alto Anderson, Murray Hughes, members of Billy’s shift at Englehard, and the Men of West Street Baptist Church will serve as honorary pallbearers.

The family will receive friends immediately following the service. Online visitors may sign the guest register at www.iveyfuneral.com. Memorial donations may be made to: Lighthouse Children’s Home, 7771 Mahan Drive, Tallahassee, FL 32309.

William Powell Phillips was born December 21, 1937, in Colquitt, Ga., the son of Hyman Phillips and Anna Powell Phillips. He was a graduate of Climax High School and Deacon of West Street Baptist Church. Billy married Mary Helen White in 1962 and raised his family in Climax.

Billy described himself as a “purebred loaner” though others knew him as the “pea man”. He loved Climax, and served as the Mayor and Councilman and even Fire Chief for many years. Billy was community minded and always gave of himself, never missing a chance to help someone out. One way Billy helped out years ago was to light the fires in the classroom fireplaces each morning at Bell Dixon School. He had the mind of a farmer and tended his garden and chickens accordingly. A few of the things he loved included fried mullet, sports (especially Atlanta Braves baseball and the Georgia Bulldogs), singing at the nursing home, the mountains, and Waddell Auction. Billy’s old-fashioned integrity, humbleness, kindness and the way he loved his family will be remembered by all those he encountered.

Survivors include his wife of 54 years, Mary White Phillips; his sons, Pastor Mike Phillips and his wife, Kelly, of Whigham, Pastor Stanley Phillips and his wife, April, of Bainbridge, and Craig Phillips and his wife, Lynn, of Climax; his grandchildren, Tate and his wife Casie, Kalli, Macy, Morgan, Noah, Kasey, Abigayle and Andrew; and his great-grandchildren, Gage and Daisy. Billy was preceded in death by his parents, an infant sister Barbara Ann Phillips, and his brother, Judson Phillips.