Calvin Cleveland Phillips

Calvin Cleveland Phillips passed away on February 28, 2019 at his home with family members present.

An only child, Calvin was born August 25, 1929, near McBride in Perry County, Missouri, to Cleve Thomas and Viola (McFarland) Phillips.

Calvin grew up in rural Perry County and took over the operation of the family farm at age 15 when his Dad passed away.  On July 28, 1950 he married Dorothy Bangert with whom he celebrated 68 years of marriage.

Calvin was baptized at the First Baptist Church in Perryville.  In 1950, he joined the First Presbyterian Church in Jackson, serving on various committees. In April 2007, he joined the Whitewater Presbyterian Church in rural Bollinger County.

In November 1950, Calvin & Dorothy moved to the Jackson area where he farmed, worked for a tire distributor, an implement dealer, and an excavator.  In 1955, they established Phillips Excavating and Trucking, which they operated for over 38 years.  Calvin was known and respected for his skills and honesty.  Over many years, he trained a number of young men, giving them the opportunity to learn the trade.   He built roads, lakes, ponds, subdivisions, dug basements, and did local trucking.   He was involved in numerous developments in the area including the Rotary Lake in Jackson City Park as well as the first nine holes and swimming pool at Kimbeland Country Club and Golf Course. After retirement, Calvin continued to operate a silica gravel pit until 2014.

Calvin served on the Girl Scout Development Committee for the Cherokee Ridge Camp, volunteering some of his equipment and coordinating with the National Guard in development of the original camp.  He also assisted Dorothy on the troop level.

After retirement, he and Dorothy moved to a new home in the country where they enjoyed the country life, gardening, and especially the grandchildren.  They loved hunting and fishing together and spent several months each winter in the Okeechobee, Florida area where they fished almost daily.  They loved RVing when the children were young and continued to travel with friends into their retirement years.

He is survived by his wife Dorothy Fern (Bangert) Phillips; three children, Judy (Dale) Snyder of Jackson, Cynthia Phillips of Virginia Beach, Virginia, and Holly (Ralph, Jr.) Drum, Jackson; five grandchildren, Donald Linskey III of Virginia Beach, Ashley (Paul) Ragsdale of Park Hills, Missouri, Chelsea Drum, Clara Snyder and Lizzie Snyder, all of Jackson.

He was preceded in death by his parents Cleve Thomas and Viola (McFarland) Phillips.

Visitation is from 4 to 8 p.m, Saturday, March 2, 2019, in Chapel A of McCombs Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Jackson.

The funeral is at 1 p.m., Sunday, March 3, 2019, in Chapel B, at the funeral home, with Charlie Mangels and Donald Blaylock officiating.  Burial will follow at Russell Heights Cemetery in Jackson.

Memorials may take the form of contributions to Whitewater Presbyterian Church of Sedgewickville, c/o Church Treasurer, HC 62 Box 35A, Sedgewickville, MO 63781; the Jackson Senior Center, or Legacy Hospice.  

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