William Phillips

"Bill" William Harold Phillips, 90 of Oregon, Ohio passed away peacefully at his home with family on April 3, 2026. Born September 30, 1935, to Harold and Mildred Phillips and a lifelong resident of Oregon. He married the love of his life, Marian Jacquot in 1954 and welcomed their first child, Michael shortly thereafter, as well as their daughter, Anne Marie.

Bill was a pillar of the farming community. Probably learning to work before he could walk, few knew a hard day's work as Bill did. Employed for many years at Landmark, their closure led him to open his own business with Dink Jacobs W&W Applications. This was done with a great deal of hard work and help from friends, family, and associates. That kindness was a core motivation for how he ran his company. Honest, fair, and generous are not usually terms used in business, but Bill made them paramount.

While Bill will be remembered for the work he did in the fields, he always put family first. This was never more apparent than when it came to his wife and grandchildren. If you ever went to a Clay High School baseball game, you likely saw him standing along one of the baselines, quietly, but warmly supporting his grandson as a player and years later as a coach. An athlete himself in his younger days, his constant presence was a reminder of his unwavering support, not just for the team but for his family.

After work, after baseball, there was the most important person of all, his wife Marian. Together for almost 70 years, they cherished their time with one another. Whether it be dinner with friends, trips to Vegas, or baseball games, they were always together! Perhaps there is nothing that Bill will be remembered for more that the love and devotion he had for his wife for so many years.

He is survived by his son Mike (Sherry) Phillips, daughter Anne Marie (Ken) Chumley, grandchildren Jim (Jackie) Phillips and Paul (Rachel) Phillips and special great-grandchildren Michael and Mya. Bill was preceded in death by Marian and siblings Joseph, Glen and Donna Mae.

Family and friends may visit the Christ United Methodist Church, 5757 Starr Ext, in Oregon on Saturday, June 27, 2026 from 9:30 a.m.-11:00 a.m. where a memorial service will be held beginning at 11:00 a.m.

Bill would have wanted to go to work just one more day, but God thought it was time for him to rest and join him. He would have wanted to thank so many people for his wonderful life.

Bill’s grandson Jim’s tribute:

 “As many of you know, my grandfather passed away on Friday. My brother did an amazing job of encapsulating who he was. There are just a few other things that I wanted to add. My grandfather and I shared a birthday, so I think from day one we were connected. My grandparents watched us growing up so that bond between us continued to grow. We watched a lot of sports growing up, and as I started to play them, he RARELY missed. Even as I continued my playing career in college and distances grew, he showed up. In today’s day and age, we talk so much about people “showing up” for others. That is what my grandfather did for his 90 years on this planet. He may have slowed down as he aged, but he never stopped showing up. Another thing about him that I respected was how he led. Owning your own company cannot be an easy thing when the buck stops with you. What made him successful at this seems simple, but much more difficult to put into application; he listened, treated people with respect, and put his employees first. Finally, I think he was the humblest person that I knew. It was never about him, and in today’s day and age we all could use a little bit more of that myself included. I am really going to miss him and miss him at my games I always appreciated that unwavering support especially after the tough losses. I love that he got to see last year’s season in person. I know he will have a better seat for them moving forward.”

 Bill’s grandson Paul’s tribute: 

“My Grandpa has unfortunately passed away. As much as it brings me great sadness, there is also relief because he is not suffering anymore.I was lucky enough to get to go home and spend time with him before he passed because he meant so much to me. When I was there, I met quite a few people I had never met before. People he had worked with, neighbors, and various individuals he had met along the way. It was funny how many of these people who were virtual strangers to me pulled me aside to let me know how special, kind, and giving my Grandpa was. They told me about how he would take care of the lawns in the neighborhood, or that he essentially volunteered at a memory care facility after my Grandma passed, or the countless kind things he did and never told anyone about. Because I cannot resist making a joke, when people shared this with me, my response was, “When you are not around, he beats me.” Grandpa heard me say this once and he denied it, laughing just enough to make it worth it. My Grandfather never taught me anything in the sense that he sat me down and “explained” the world to me. No manifesto, no rules to live by, no long chats while I sat on his knee… However, if you shut up and observed how he lived his life, it was the best education you could get. Work was a big part of my Grandpa’s life. He owned his own business for many years, and when he retired, he worked even more. While he got great joy from a hard day's work, he always put his grandkids first. He loved to be in the fields and talking to farmers but, he loved my brother and me more. People talk about the countless baseball games he attended to watch my brother play. That was easy. Grandpa loved going to those games. Less well known was that he also would take me to Godzilla conventions and things he did not want to do. Mostly because Grandma made him, but also because he knew it made me happy. He made sure to let me know he did not personally enjoy going to those conventions but, he said it with a smile. My Grandfather had one of the most unique moral compasses I have ever seen. I guess if you were to call him anything, it would be a natural utilitarian. He would make decisions that were clearly not in his best interest to help others, and you never saw him doubt it being the right thing to do. I have a lot of examples of that, but none are more appropriate than how he handled my Grandma’s dementia. He kept her at home longer than he likely should have, and when she needed to go to a facility… it did not change his level of commitment. He would visit her twice a day. I would visit her when I came home and cried every time because it was so hard to see someone you love in that kind of pain. Not Grandpa. He didn’t complain, and he never let my Grandma feel forgotten. So many people questioned him about why he went so often because she could not remember him visiting, and he needed to take care of himself. He never justified to anyone why he went so often to see her. He never said it was an obligation, part of his vows, or even because he loved her. Grandpa never expressed that it was a burden; he was genuinely happy to spend any time with Grandma that he could because he might get one of those brief moments where she was herself. It wasn’t that Grandpa made the decision; there wasn’t any other decision to make. I had so much respect for my Grandpa. The very epitome of hard work and dedication. It makes me laugh when people say I work too much or too hard. I quip, “You should meet literally everyone else in my family.” I started a small business, and I named it P&P because his business was named W&W. I wanted so much to do things the way he did. Treating employees fairly, giving the best service, and building a reputation, where if you are working with Bill Phillips, you don’t need to worry. I told him all this, and his response was to ask me about the weather. He, like every member of my family, could not take a compliment because he wasn’t doing anything special. He fundamentally was himself, incapable of being anyone else, and we are all better because of that. The last few months were very difficult for a man who lived life on his own terms. Many people say they pass away peacefully. Not Grandpa, he refused pain meds until the last few days because I think he knew if he took them, it meant he was giving up. That was not something he did. He didn’t have anything to prove to anyone, and it was a man who simply did not want to leave. At 90 years old, he wanted to get up and go to work again like he had his entire life, and it was just his time, which was impossible to accept. Clearly, I loved my Grandpa. Not for just how he treated me, not for how he treated my Grandma, but for how he treated everyone that crossed his path. I know you are no longer in pain. I hope you are with Grandma, and thank you for leading by example because it was the best education I ever got.”