Joel Phillips

Joel McCrea Phillips, 77, of Locust, passed away Thursday, August 25, 2011 at Bethany Woods Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. Mr. Phillips was born June 1, 1934, in Rutherford County, NC. He was preceded in death by his father, Claude C. Phillips; his mother, Thelma Gordon Phillips; and his sister, Rachel Phillips Owens. He was a retired Frito-Lays salesman after 26 years of service. He was a former chief of Ridgecrest Fire Department, a Boy Scout leader of a Ridgecrest troop and a veteran of the U. S. Army. The family will receive friends from 3 – 5 p.m., Sunday, August 28, at Mission Baptist Church. The memorial service will begin at 5 p.m. in the church sanctuary, officiated by Pastor Ronny Russell and Pastor Jeremy Hyde. He is survived by his wife, Mary Patricia Kluttz Phillips “Pat”; son, James Andrew Phillips “Andy”, of the home; daughter, Kimberly Phillips Helms and husband, M. Lynn Helms, of Stanfield; grandchildren, Nicholas Andrew Helms, Mary MacKenzie Helms, and Wyatt Houston Helms; brothers, Steve Phillips and his wife, Evelyn, of Mint Hill and Don Phillips and his wife, Brenda, of North Augusta, SC; and adopted granddaughter, Donna Misenheimer Wimbish, and husband, Ernie Wimbish, and son, Camden Vann Wimbish. Memorials may be made to Mission Baptist Church, 12444 Mission Church Road, Locust, NC 28097. Hartsell Funeral Home of Midland is assisting the Phillips family.