David Phillips

David Phillips was born on May 21, 1948 to Hubert and Violet (Hazel) Phillips. One of two children, he grew up in Lakewood, California and graduated from Lakewood High School in 1966. He married his high school sweetheart, Andrea, and later had two sons, Shannon and Shaun Phillips, which they raised in Lakewood.

In January of 1967, Dave enlisted in the Marine Corps. and was sent to boot camp at Camp Pendleton, CA. Shortly thereafter, he was shipped to Chu Lai, Vietnam. He served his country on foreign soil for fourteen months, then came home to his sweetheart Andrea.

While working as a foreman at Safeway for 28 years, he enjoyed coaching his children in Lakewood Pop Warner football and Patrick Henry baseball. He loved teaching his kids about his favorite football team, The Rams. He enjoyed listening to music and spending time with family and friends. Plus, he wasn’t too shabby at the barbecue. Just like his father Hubert, he was a champion at pitching horseshoes. Since they moved into their Eckleson home in Lakewood, they have always had the horseshoe pit where many friends and family members won and lost, but mostly heckled their opponents as it was their turn to toss. That was a tradition in the Phillips’ house.

Before retiring in October of 2010, he worked 2 years for the City of Lakewood and 5 years for the SPCA where once again he made many more lifelong friends. Dave always loved to have a party in the backyard and loved it even more when friends from work could come over and enjoy a part of his life that made him so happy.

Dave, or Uncle Dave to a lot of people, welcomed everyone into his life as if they were his own. Dave and Andrea opened their home to anyone who needed it. It didn’t stop with their friends and family. It continued on with Shannon and Shaun’s friends, as well. The Phillips’ home was always a safe place to go when you needed advice or just a hug, or someone to remind you that at 19 years old we didn’t have it as rough as we thought we did. Dave always reminded us that the average age of the combat Serviceman was 19. Dave always knew how to put things in perspective. He always said, “No matter how bad you have it, someone else out there has it worse”.

Dave departed his earthly home on March 3, 2012 at his residence in Lakewood, California. He is survived by his wife Andrea Lyn Phillips and two sons, Shannon Michael Phillips and Shaun David Phillips, his beloved extended family, and his animals Brook, Mr. Foster, and Tucker.