William Robert “Bobby” Phillips, 76, of Tifton died Thursday, May 5, 2011, at Tift Health Care. Graveside funeral services will be held at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 7, 2011, in Oak Ridge Methodist Church Cemetery. Rev. Joseph Crumley will officiate with family members giving eulogies. Nephews will serve as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers will be members of the staff of Tift Health Care. The family will receive friends on Friday, May 6, 2011, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. and Saturday, May 7, 2011, at Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals from 2:00 p.m. until the hour of the service.
Bobby was born on June 24, 1934 in Tift County and was the son of William Zachary Phillips and Lillian Smith Phillips, both deceased. He was also preceded in death by three sisters, Elizabeth Phillips Folsom, Willene Phillips Hancock and Margaret June Phillips; and one brother, James Edward Phillips. He enjoyed people and drawing pictures with pencils, as well as wood-carving. He created a replica of his home farm, which was entered in local and national competitions and it won first place in the division and was displayed at the Georgia Agrirama.
Bobby is survived by one sister, Emily Phillips Salter of Tifton; three brothers and two sisters-in-law, Dan Phillips of Tifton, Gene and Suzanne Phillips of Columbus and Jack and Melanie Phillips; a special sister-in-law and her husband, Sandra and Gary Law of Tifton; sister-in-law, Lucy Schneider; his nephews and their wives, Jimmy Folsom of Adel, Billy and Sarah Hancock of Dunwoody, Phil and Debbie Salter of Tifton, Ed Salter of Springfield, Illinois, Johnny Phillips of Albany, Zachary Phillips of Monticello, Florida and Jeff Law of Georgia; his nieces and their husbands, Barbara and Kendal Shealey of Tifton, Stephanie Phillips of Columbus, Jackie Phillips, Jessica Phillips, Miranda Phillips, Wendy Phillips of Florida and June and Kelly.