George Howard Phillips (97) of Newton
Published on July 26 2017 4:27 pm
George Howard Phillips, age 97 of Newton, IL passed away 12:54 a.m. Wednesday, July 26, 2017 at the Newton Care Center surrounded by his family.
Funeral services celebrating George’s life will be held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, August 5 at the Crain Funeral Home, Newton with Rev. Brad Harper officiating. Visitation will be from 1:00 p.m. until time of service Saturday in the funeral home. Burial will be in the West Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery with military rites by Jasper Post No. 20 of the American Legion. Memorial donations may be made to either the HSHS Hospice of South Eastern Illinois or to the Leukemia-Lymphoma Society.
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George was a lifetime farmer of Jasper County, Illinois. His farming career began at the age of three years old, helping his father. He enlisted into the U. S. Army serving four years during World War II. Upon discharge from the Army on February 19, 1946, he managed to buy a farm and home and to marry the love of his life, Winnie Ruth Boxley, just thirty-four days after his honorable discharge.
He is survived by his wife of seventy-one years Winnie Phillips of Newton. George, the son of Howard and Mable Marie (Wheat) Phillips, was born on January 1, 1920 at home in Jasper County. He was a father to three daughters who survive, Karen Nebergall of Casey, IL, Marsha Phillips of Carmel, IN, and Patti (Marshall) Finley of Edgewood, IL. George was the grandfather to one granddaughter Brenda; four great grandchildren CaSandra, Zachary, Andrew, and Roland; five great great grandsons Carson, Ayden, Daniel, Koda, and Isaiah; and a great great granddaughter Abigail Rose arriving in November of 2017.
George was preceded in death by his parents Howard and Marie Phillips, twin sisters and brother-in-laws Freda (Malcolm) Thomas and Cleda (Forrest) Long, brother and sister-in-law Harry Dale (Doris) Phillips, son-in-law Tilford Nebergall.