Thomas Phillips Jr

Thomas Arthur Phillips, beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, friend, and father-in-Law. Tom passed quietly away in Yreka, at Madrone Hospice House on October 3, 2014. At the ripe old age of 96, he and Pamela Mary Caron Phillips celebrated 70 years of devoted marriage just this past summer. As Pam says even now, "How fortunate we were!" Tom was born July 27, 1918 in Phoenix, AZ to Thomas Arthur Phillips and Viola Hellard Phillips. He was raised in Alderpoint, CA and graduated Fortuna High School in 1937. Tom is a Veteran of World War II. After joining the US Army Air Force in 1942 he spent the war years in England as an aircraft mechanic. It was there he met his future wife, Pamela, who at the time was serving in the Royal Air Force as a Radar Operator. On April 29, 1944 Tom and Pam married in Aylesbury, England. After the war they settled in Rio Linda, CA, and started their family. They had two daughters, Ruth Mary and Donna Lee. In 1955 he moved his family to Eureka, where he and Pam owned and operated a Sporting Goods store in Henderson Center for 7 years. In 1962 the family moved to Lake County, where they owned a hardware store in Kelsyville until the early 1970’s when they moved to Scott Valley in Siskiyou County to be near their daughter Ruth and her family. Tom got an Associates of Business degree from College of the Siskiyou’s in 1989 and became a broker in the Real Estate business in Scott Valley for many years. Among his many talents, he could fix just about anything, surf the web with style, create and recreate oil paintings, sell commercial real estate, repair airplanes, raise a tremendous garden, build sturdy and cozy houses, plumb irrigation systems, wear a tux or a homespun sweater, win championship trap shooting competitions, talk genealogy and history with the best of them.... he was an amazing man, and had a blessed life. Tom is survived by his wife, Pamela; daughter, Ruth Mary Johnson and husband Don; son-in-law, Dr. Gary Howland; grandchildren, Lee William Johnson (Janet); Heather Rene Henry (John), Martinez, CA; Holly Michelle Perry, Seattle, WA; Glen A. Johnson (Stacy) Keno, OR; Tanny A. Johnson, Chico, CA; Laurie A. Johnson, Paradise, CA; Jan A. Johnson, Paradise, CA. Great-grandchildren, Sam Johnson, Joe Johnson, Luke Johnson, Taryn Johnson, Logan Johnson, Morgan Henry, Audrey Henry; Nieces, Shirley Reynolds, Jeanne Taylor, Dianna Jacob and nephew, Ron Sturgis. Tom was preceded in death by his parents, his sister, Viola Sturgis, brother, Lee, and his daughter Donna Lee in 2004. Per Tom’s wishes, there will be a small gathering of family and friends on October 10 at the home of his daughter, Ruth. In memory of Tom, contributions to Madrone Hospice, Inc., 255 Collier Court, Yreka, CA 96097 would be greatly appreciated.

Thomas Phillips Jr

July 27, 1918 - October 3, 2014