J.M. Phillips

J.M. “Jim” Reynolds Phillips, age 86, of Coaling, AL, passed away on July 19, 2024, surrounded by his loving family. Graveside services will take place on Wednesday, July 24, 2024, at 2:00 p.m. at Memory Hill Gardens. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at Memory Chapel Funeral Home. Rev. Larry Bonner will officiate.

J.M. was preceded in death by his parents, Robert Jessie and Ila Watson Phillips; his son Dwayne Phillips; brothers Ellis, G.W. “Buddy”, Guinn, Eddie, Waylon and Otis; sisters Nellie Phillips, Ella Mae Smalley, Dottie Connell, Nazzie Lee Rogers, Margaret Venia Smith and a sister who died in infancy.

Survivors include his loving wife of 67 years, Eloise Morrison Phillips; his children, Steve (Darline), Mike (Glenda) and Laura Crawford (Mike); grandchildren Shawn, Kyle (Lacey), Ashley Creel (Trent), Amanda Reed (Adam), William Vining (Tracie) and Jeff Vining (Jamie); great-grandchildren Kaitlyn, Emily and Ethan Creel, Karis, Mabry, Tucker, and Weslin Phillips, William and James Lovett, Blaine Reed, Conner Olmstead, Odin, Bella, Levi, Raylan and Boyd Vining; great-great grandchild Penelope Mahon. Also, honorary grandchild Ella Grace Blackerby. He had numerous nieces and nephews with a special mention of his niece Lisa Tierce who was always so helpful and willing to lend an ear.

J.M. was born on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, 1938, in the Samantha/Northside area. He attended Montgomery School in Brownville, Alabama. In 1957, he eloped to Mississippi with the young and lovely Eloise Morrison from Fayette, Alabama, and started his family. Eloise used to say that when they got married they had little more than $14 and a frying pan. After working in several parts of the country, including Chicago, he settled back in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and worked at the Coca-Cola Bottling Company for 13 years. He was then employed for many years at Sears Roebuck as a delivery truck driver then as warehouse supervisor. After retiring, he determined he wasn’t suited to being idle and went to work at Northwest Supply delivering plumbing supplies.

All their lives J.M. and Eloise had an incredible work ethic and enjoyed working together to keep their yard looking immaculate and their garden in pristine shape. It was a point of pride that he became well-known for growing some of the best tomatoes around and many people looked forward to buying from his garden every summer. He truly loved talking to his customers and treated them like old friends.

J.M. was loved and respected by many as a man you could count on. From his family, to his friends, to his neighbors, to his church, it was always known he would happily lend a helping hand when needed. He will be missed by so many.

Pallbearers will be Trent Creel, Ethan Creel, Shawn Phillips, Kyle Phillips, Jeff Vining and Jeff Blackerby.

Honorary pallbearers will be Cecil Snider, Carol and Nancy Snider, Tommy and Stephanie Rogers, Tammy Blackerby and his church family of Enterprise Baptist Church. Special thanks to the 2nd floor ICU of DCH Regional Medical Center in Tuscaloosa for treating him with such care and dignity.