John Robert Phillips

Charlotte - Mr. Phillips, 87, passed away peacefully on March 20, 2021 at Sharon Towers. He was born on September 29, 1933 in Dallas, TX, a son of the late Henry and Faye Guthrie Phillips, and beloved husband of his late wife, Ruth Lynn Phillips.

The family will remember John in a private ceremony.

John graduated from Lamar High School in Houston, TX, then from Auburn University in 1957 with a degree in Industrial Engineering. He also graduated from the University of Delaware with a master’s in business administration. He spent his entire professional career with E.I duPont de Nemours & Co. His first job was in the explosives laboratories at the DuPont Experimental Station, and he eventually rose through the ranks becoming a senior executive overseeing various petrochemical product lines. He retired from DuPont in 1994.

John married Ruth Lynn Whittaker of Jacksonville, FL in 1966, ultimately settling in Chadds Ford, PA, with time spent in Atlanta, GA, Wilmington, DE, and Houston, TX. After retirement, they moved to Beaufort, SC and built a home at Bray’s Island Plantation where they pursued outdoor activities including shooting, and golf. John and Ruth were lifelong Presbyterians, and subsequently moved to Davidson, NC where they enjoyed attending all Davidson College sporting events.

John rarely met a cause he was not willing to volunteer for, enjoyed growing and maintaining Bonsai trees, and cooking chili. Sharon Towers, in Charlotte, NC was his home for the last nine years, and the family would like to sincerely thank the wonderful doctors, nurses, and caregivers of Sharon Towers for their amazing care and support over the last several years. John’s wife Ruth passed away in 2014, and his first wife, Jacqueline Coates Phillips, died in 2019.

John is survived by his brother, Randy Phillips of Holly Springs, NC; two daughters, Stephanie Brusich of Seattle, WA and Tracy Hood of Port St. Joe, FL; three sons, John Phillips of Houston, TX, Marshall Phillips of Charlotte, NC, and Sloan Phillips of Silver Spring, MD and their families, including 16 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests support to Sharon Towers, 5100 Sharon Road, Charlotte, NC 28210 or the PEO Foundation, 3700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA 50312.