Samuel Ned (Sam) Phillips

Samuel Ned (Sam) Phillips, 91, of Valdosta, went to be with the Lord on July 14, 2016. Mr. Phillips was born on August 18, 1924 in Monroe, to the late Emmett Edison Phillips & Floy Stephens Phillips. The family soon moved to Omega where he grew up. He received a degree in agriculture from Abraham Baldwin Agriculture College in Tifton. His first job was farming but soon joined the U.S. Army and fought in World War II. Following the war, he came back to Omega and married Betty Keith whom he had grown up with and attended church with. Mr. Phillips took a job with Metropolitan Life Insurance Company that took him first to Tallahassee, where he was the manager for the Georgia and Florida District, then relocated in the 1960's to Valdosta. He retired from MetLife after more than 25 years. An active member of Crossroads Baptist Church, formerly Azalea City Baptist for many years, where he was a Deacon, taught Men's Sunday School Class and served on various committees. His favorite time was being outside in God's beautiful world. He loved gardening, walking in the South Georgia Woods, hunting, fishing and sitting at Cleveland Field cheering on the Valdosta Wildcats. Mr. Phillips also enjoyed playing bridge and talking to people, he never met a stranger.

He leaves behind his wife of 67 years, Betty Keith Phillips of Valdosta, and their three children and their spouses, Dianne & Buddy Yow, of Valdosta, Debbie & Bobby Graham of Senoia, Keith & Brenda Phillips of Valdosta; a sister, Grace Rochester of Valdosta; four grandchildren and their spouses, Shannon Yow (& Kevin) Johnson of Woodstock, Melinda Page Graham of Greensboro, NC, Cheryl Graham (& David) Hamel of Manhattan, KS & Keith Gregory Phillips, Jr. of Valdosta, and five great grandchildren. He is preceded in death by two sisters and 2 brothers. The Phillips family would like to express their appreciation to the Veterans Administration, the Fellowship Home and Pruitt Hospice for the outstanding care he received during his illness.

A memorial service for Mr. Phillips will be held at 2 p.m. on Monday, July 18, 2016 at Crossroads Baptist Church, Dr. Ken Alford and Pastor Walter Powell will officiate. The family will receive friends at the church from 1 p.m. until service time. In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations made to the building fund at Crossroads Baptist Church. Condolences may be conveyed to the family here on the obituary page at www.mclanecares.com Carson McLane Funeral Home


Funeral Home:
Carson McLane Funeral Home
2215 North Patterson Street
Valdosta, GA
US 31602