Joseph "Jim" James Phillips

Joseph James “Jim” Phillips, 82, of Lake Jackson, passed away very peacefully on December 21, 2019, surrounded by family. Jim is preceded in death by his wife, Prella Mays Phillips. He was born in Miami, Florida and grew up splitting his time between New York City and Florida. He was Valedictorian of his high school and graduated from MIT with a B.S. in Geophysics. He then went on to earn a M.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Houston.

He worked at Dow Chemical for over thirty years. He was a family man who devoted all of his time to raising his four girls. He attended First United Methodist Church in Lake Jackson. He had an unwavering Christian faith and spent his retirement studying the Word of God. Jim and Prella were married for 56 years and he loved his family dearly.

He is survived by his four daughters and sons-in-law, Laura Phillips Mackay and husband, Jamieson of League City, Rebecca Phillips Howard and husband, Jed of Houston, Sarah Phillips Stevens and husband, Chad of Naperville, IL, Victoria Phillips Clites and husband, Jonathan of Houston; 11 grandchildren, Maisie Elizabeth Mackay, Caleb James Stevens, Mallorie Francene Mackay, Jed Lee Howard III, Carson Lee Stevens, Thomas Samuel Howard, James Joseph Howard, Jonathan Paul Eldiyar Clites, Jr., Madison Elizabeth Clites, William Joseph Clites and Julia Margaret Clites; brother and sister-in-law, William Vernon “Bill” Phillips and his wife, Rosemary of Knoxville; two sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, Becky Mays Dusek and husband, Clifton of Lake Jackson and Delia Elizabeth Mays Broom and husband, N.A. “Butch” of Lake Jackson; and many nieces, nephews and other relatives.

Funeral services will be held on Monday, December 23, 2019 at 2 p.m., with a visitation at 1 p.m., at the First United Methodist Church in Lake Jackson.

In lieu of flowers, donations to First United Methodist Church of Lake Jackson, care of Pastor Lynne Settlemyre.