Lee Allen Phillips, 87, of Wellington, Missouri, passed away Wednesday, November 27, 2019. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, December 3rd at Royer Funeral Home, Oak Grove, MO; burial in Oak Grove Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 10:00 a.m. until service time at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Bible Translators at www.seedcompany.com.
Lee was born October 21, 1932, in Tarsney, Missouri, the son of Hansel and Sadie (Smith) Phillips. He was raised in the New Liberty Baptist Church in the Tarsney area. He was the youngest of ten children and remembered being carried across the fields on the shoulders of his oldest brother to church activities. He gave his life to the Lord as a young teenager.
Lee worked at General Motors, Fairfax, for 23 years in the Maintenance Department as a millwright welder. He ran the emergency wagon for the plant breakdowns, so he was known throughout the facility where he was known as “Hollywood” and he lived up to the name. Lee loved to tell jokes and would often mess up the punch lines. Not much bothered him; he would laugh and figure out a way to “fix” the problem. He was a natural mechanic and would use his God-given talents to assist anyone who needed a helping hand.
Lee was proud of his family and would extol the abilities and achievements of each of his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren to anyone who would listen and were willing to hear his stories over and over again. He started passing out Tootsie Rolls after he retired in 1993. Lee delighted in engaging in conversations with strangers, more often than not using those Tootsie Rolls, especially if there were children involved. He was known to our church family as the “Tootsie Roll Man.” Children and adults alike would seek him out to get a treat.
Lee loved life and often said so. Even though the last six months were extremely difficult for him he would say, “Life is great, and I am blessed.” He wanted his service to glorify God and thank each one for being a part of his life.
Lee was preceded in death by his parents, nine siblings, and son, Jamy Phillips. His survivors include his wife of 62 years, Vera Phillips of the home; four children: Robert Phillips (Denise) of Wellington, Vance Phillips (Sidi) of Danville, CA, Suzy Phillips of Wellington, and John Schaller of Kansas City, MO; seven grandchildren: Rebecca Hine (John) of Grain Valley, MO, Devin Phillips (Brittany) of Wellington, Maxwell Phillips of Danville, CA, Hannah Brown of London, Eng., Marisa Cary of Danville, CA, Monica Ibarra of Danville, and Marc Ibarra of Danville; and four great-grandchildren: Zoey Hine, Mac Hine, Elsie Phillips, Easton Streit, and Jenna Cary.
Arrangements: Royer Funeral Home, Oak Grove, MO 816-690-4441