William Phillips

William Mathew Phillips (Bill), 87, passed away peacefully at the State Veterans Home in Jackson, MS on Saturday, September 22, 2018. Visitation will be held on Wed. Sept. 26, 2018 from 6pm-8pm at Ott & Lee Funeral Home in Brandon, MS. and on Thurs. Sept. 27, 2018 from 9am-9:45am at Brandon Baptist Church in Brandon, MS. Funeral Services will be at 10am on Thurs. Sept. 27, 2018 at Brandon Baptist Church with graveside services to follow at Crestview Memorial Gardens in Brandon, MS.

Bill was the youngest child of Otis Reese Phillips and Ida Jewel Byram.   He had thirteen siblings who preceded him in death. Bill graduated from Madden High School and attended East Central Community College. He then served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War for almost three years, including nearly two years in Eritrea, East Africa, as assistant to the Chaplain. After his army service, he attended the University of Southern Mississippi where he met his loving wife Emma Patrick.

He taught math at Purvis Middle School for one year and then went to work for Motors Insurance Corporation, a subsidiary of General Motors, as an insurance adjuster. Over the course of his career his job moved him to various states, primarily throughout the southeast. After 35 years with MIC he retired and moved back to Mississippi, settling in Brandon, where he volunteered at the Brandon Public Library and helped to establish the library at Brandon Baptist Church, where he was a charter member.

Bill is survived by his wife, Emma Patrick, of 63 years; two daughters, Rebecca Meadors (Bill) of Brandon, MS, and Ellen Bees (Ron) of Coral Springs, FL; three grandchildren, Jacqueline Ermer (John) of Miami, FL , Ronald Bees and Ryder Bees of Coral Springs, FL; and one great granddaughter, Olivia Ermer.

We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to the staff at Amada Senior Care, with special thanks to Erika Mathis, his personal caregiver, for the love and compassion she bestowed on him and the family during this past year.

In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations in his name be made to the building fund at Brandon Baptist Church, 100 Brandon Baptist Drive, Brandon, MS 39042.