Johnnie Lee Phillips passed away Friday, April 26, 2024, at the age of 94. He was born on August 15,1929 in Medina, TN where he attended Gibson County schools. After high school, he enlisted with the US Navy on February 14, 1947, at the age of 17 where he was initially stationed in Great Lakes, IL and later transferred to NAAS in Oceana, VA where he spent his remaining military service at the Naval Auxiliary Air Station. He was Honorably discharged on May 14, 1950, as Personnel Man 3rd Class Petty Officer.
Upon returning home to Gibson County, he accepted a job in Humboldt, TN as Purchasing Agent for the Humboldt Full Fashion Hosiery Mill on June 1, 1950. Johnnie married Katherine Anne Fisher of Humboldt, TN on November 10, 1950, and they had two daughters, Paula and Katrina.
Johnnie and Katherine moved to Memphis in 1953 where he was employed by Kraft Foods Co, Humko Products Division, spending 38 years in the purchasing department. He retired as the Director of Purchasing on September 30, 1991, from Kraft Food Ingredients.
As he settled into a new career with Humko, he began breeding, showing and selling Shetland Sheepdogs. His love for these dogs was mystifying as he obedience trained them.
As a people person, Johnnie decided to get into real estate in the mid 60’s on a part-time basis. Memphis was quickly growing and he initially concentrated on new construction as well as existing homes over the next 25 years. As a perfectionist, Johnnie also loved working in his yard which was a showplace.
Johnnie was preceded in death by his wife of 64 years, Katherine Anne Fisher Phillips; his parents, Melvin Amos and Josie Ianthia Davenport Phillips of Gibson County, TN; brother, Houston Amos Phillips of Slidell, LA; and sister, Rada Ophelia Phillips Manley of Lynchburg, TN. Johnnie has two daughters, Paula Phillips Woodruff (Mark) and Katrina Phillips; two grandchildren Mandy Woodruff Whitten (Payton) and Phillip Woodruff; and two great grandchildren Braeden Whitten and Kaitlyn Whitten.
A memorial to honor Johnnie will be held on Saturday, May 18th at Memphis Funeral Home & Memorial Gardens located at 3700 N Germantown Rd, Bartlett, TN. Visitation will begin at 9:30 am followed by a short service and reception. In lieu of flowers, the family request that memorials be sent to St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN.
