Obituary of Dr. William E. Phillips, Jr.

Dr. William (Bill) E. Phillips, Jr. passed away peacefully at United Hospital Center on August 30, 2021 at the age of 87. He was born on September 22, 1933 in Ridgley, WV and was the son of the late Regina Payne Phillips Collins and William E. Phillips Sr. He Is survived by his wife of 61 years, Rosemary Carlson Phillips of Whitehall, WV.; his son Daniel E. Phillips of Shenandoah, TX.; his daughter Christine E. Miller of Whitehall, WV.; his son William R. Phillips of Los Angles, CA.; three sisters, Loretta Abe of Baltimore, MD., Diane Stewart of Cumberland, MD., and Leona Smelser of Florida. He is also survived by 10 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren. He is proceeded in death by two sisters, Betty Thuss and Rebecca Weaver, three brothers, Duane Phillips, Ronald Phillips, and Robert Collins. He was a US Army veteran and a lifelong educator. He graduated from Ridgley High School in Ridgley, WV and he went on to Fairmont State College where he was a multi-sport letterman in basketball, football, track and field, and student body president. He was a charter member of Tau Kapa Epsilon fraternity. He graduated with his B.A. from Fairmont State and went on to later complete his Masters and Doctorate in Education from West Virginia University. His education career includes teacher and head basketball coach at Rivesville High School in Rivesville, WV, assistant principal and assistant football and basketball coach at Fort Hill High School in Cumberland, MD before returning to Fairmont State as Assistant Registrar. He then went on to become a professor of education and was the Director of the Regents Bachelor of Arts degree program where he retired in 1998. He was recognized by Fairmont State by receiving the Alumni Letter Winner of Distinction award in 1992, the Alumni Achievement Award in 2003, and the Marion County Chamber of Commerce Lifetime Achievement Award. From 1982 to 1998, he chaired the Leadership Marion Program sponsored by the Marion County Chamber of Commerce and Fairmont State University. In his honor there is the Dr. William E. Phillips Leadership Marion Scholarship which is awarded to a Marion County High School graduate who has completed one academic year with a 3.0 or greater GPA. He was a member of the Kiwanis Club of Fairmont and the Simpson Creek Baptist Church in Bridgeport. The family requests donations in lieu of flowers to the Marion County Chamber of Commerce in his name to support the Dr. William E. Phillips Leadership Marion Scholarship. Checks can be made to: Dr. William Phillips Scholarship in Care of Marion County Chamber of Commerce. The mailing address: Marion County Chamber of Commerce, 110 Adams Street, Fairmont, WV 26554. The family has entrusted the arrangements to Ford Funeral home at 201 Columbia Street, Fairmont, WV. Private family services will be held with Reverend Dr. Michael Hopkin officiating. Interment will follow at the West Virginia National Cemetery, Pruntytown, WV. Online condolences may be made to www.fordfuneralhomes.com.