Fred Randall Phillips

Fred Randall Phillips was born November 11, 1921, to Gaither and Pearl Wilmoth Phillips, in the Rockford area of Surry County. He died Monday, August 16, 2010, at the age of 88, after a brave struggle with Alzheimer's Disease. He graduated from Copeland High School in 1939, and later took many classes at Surry Community College. He was a World War II veteran, having proudly served our country as a Sergeant in the South Pacific with the 38th Infantry Division of the United States Army. For his service in the South Pacific, he received the Bronze Star for meritorious service and valor. After returning home at the end of the war, he worked on his father's farm until taking a position at the North Carolina Department of Corrections, where he worked for twenty-five years. When retired from this position, he worked more than twelve-thousand volunteer hours over a period of twenty-five years at the Northern Hospital of Surry County, performing various tasks throughout the hospital, where he was once named Volunteer of the Year. In addition to his volunteer work at the hospital, Mr. Phillips spent a twelve year period volunteering for Life Line where he interviewed Life Line recipients and installed Life Line systems throughout Surry County. He was a member of the Community Resource Council for the Yadkin Correctional Center, where he was named 1995 Volunteer of the Year for his work with special inmate programs. Additionally, he worked for Yokefellow Ministries helping distribute food to needy persons, was a volunteer at the LH Jones Resource Center, the old Dobson Fire Department, and he was recognized by Rotary International as a Paul Harris Fellow. His main love in life was helping people. Mr. Phillips had a great love for music, and enjoyed playing the mandolin and violin, with his favorite type of music being old-time hymns. He was a devoted member of Salem Baptist Church in Dobson. With failing health for the past two years, he attended Little Mountain Baptist Church with his wife, Verla. Mr. Phillips is survived by his wife, Verla Venable Phillips of the home; a step-daughter and her husband, Lu Ann and Charlie Browne of Mount Airy; and two step-granddaughters whom he adored, Mary Beth and Laura Grace Browne. He had many special friends that include retirees from the North Carolina Department of Corrections, his Adult Men's Sunday School Class from Salem Baptist Church, and members of the Northern Hospital of Surry County Auxiliary. Also surviving are very special friends, including Kenny Kallam, Gail Johnson, and Vickie Isaacs. Preceding him in death are his parents and his former wife, Creola Schuyler Phillips, who passed away in 1987. Mr. Phillips was truly a Christian gentleman. The family will receive friends at Moody Funeral Home and Chapel in Mount Airy on Wednesday, August 18, 2010, from 6:00 to 8:00 PM, with funeral services to be conducted on Thursday, August 19, 2010, at 2:00 PM, at Moody Funeral Home. Services will be conducted by the Rev. Rayton Puckett, Dr. Bobby Lewis, and the Rev. Bill Watson. Burial will follow at Salem Baptist Church Cemetery in Dobson with military graveside rites conducted by the VFW Memorial Honor Guard. Floral tributes will be accepted or memorials may be made to the Salem Baptist Church Cemetery Fund, in care of Salem Baptist Church, 430 Rockford Road, Dobson, NC 27017, or to Little Mountain Baptist Church, 324 Little Mountain Church Road, Ararat, NC 27007. The family wishes to acknowledge and thank the staff of Central Continuing Care in Mount Airy for their kind assistance and care.