Reverend Bobby Leonard Phillips Obituary (1934 - 2018)

Bobby Leonard Phillips, aged 83, passed from this earthly scene and went to be with the Lord on Wednesday afternoon, March 28, 2018. A funeral service will be held at 12 Noon on Saturday, March 31st at First Church of the Brethren in Eden, NC. The family will receive friends from 10 AM - 12 Noon at the church. At 6 PM on Saturday evening, a memorial service will be held at First Church of the Brethren of Roanoke with a time of fellowship to follow. On Monday, April 2nd, a service will be held at 12 Noon at Greenmount Church of the Brethren in Harrisonburg, VA, with family receiving friends from 10 AM - 12 Noon prior to the service. Burial will follow in the Greenmount Church of the Brethren Cemetery. A native of Leaksville, NC (now part of Eden, NC), Bobby was baptized into the Spray First Church of the Brethren in 1948. He was a 1952 graduate of Leaksville High School, a 1956 graduate of Bridgewater College and a 1959 graduate of Bethany Biblical Seminary (now Bethany Theological Seminary). He was licensed to the Gospel Ministry in 1956 and ordained on Easter Sunday, 1959. He served seven congregations, several with multiple meeting points, in his 49 years of active pastorate. These included Mathias and Mountain View (1959 - 62), Sandy Creek (1962 - 67), Fairview, Greenmount and Mount Zion (1967 - 75), Meyersdale (1975 - 86), Eden - First (1986 - 99), , Concord - Living Faith (2000 - 07) and as interim at Masons Cove (2008). Bobby considered it a blessing to be able to serve at his home church in Eden for 13 1/2 years. He was active in community and district ministries. He served as moderator for the Western District of Pennsylvania, as a member, commission chair and the chairperson of the Virlina District Board, as a teacher for the Three-Year Reading Course (predecessor to Christian Growth Institute) and in many other roles. Brother Phillips was a solid theologian, a productive evangelist and a committed church leader. He was faithful to the calling of Christ and the church. Those who knew Bobby always seemed to come away feeling better for having served with him and grateful for the continuing influence of his encouragement and mentoring. Mr. Phillips found great joy in all his children's and grandchildren's accomplishments in sports, music, dance, drama and scouting and attended as many events as possible. He will be missed by people in all the places he lived and ministered with his wife. He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Edna Foley Phillips whom he found to be a wonderful helpmate, friend, wife, mother and servant of God; his sons, Stephen E. Phillips and wife, Elizabeth of Johnstown, PA and Michael L. Phillips and wife, Georgia of Winston-Salem; his daughters, Melinda P. Downie and husband, Steve of Roanoke, VA and Carmela P. Price and husband, Randy of Eden; seven grandchildren, Aaron Phillips, David Harvey, Michael Phillips, Jr., Marilyn Sarver, Madilyn Sarver, Andrew Price and Sarah Price; and three great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, John Lee Phillips and Mary Frances Bolen Phillips and sisters, Myrtle Yurich and Annie Hedgepath. Memorial contributions may be made in his honor to First Church of the Brethren, 730 Church Street, Eden, NC 27288, to First Church of the Brethren Roanoke, 2001 Carroll Ave NW, Roanoke, VA 24017, or to Greenmount Church of the Brethren, 4881 Greenmount Road, Harrisonburg, VA 22802. Online condolences may be offered to the family at www.fairfuneralhome.com