Rev. Orville L. Phillips' Obituary
Rev. Orville Leeroy Phillips, died July 4, 2016 at Whatcom Hospice House in Bellingham, Washington. Orville Leeroy Phillips was born on November 8, 1922 in Auburn, Washington, to Ralph Joseph Phillips and Freda Wanda Roening. He died on July 4, 2016, in Bellingham, at the Whatcom Hospice House. He was preceded in death by his brothers Cliff and Wally, and sister Joyce.
Orville and Margaret (Stone) were married on May 21, 1943. They celebrated 73 years this last May. Together they had six children, with five of them waiting at the gates of Heaven. Daughter Tamera Lee Atchison went to be with the Lord on February 4, 2010. Son Daniel, wife Nancy and Margaret live in Bellingham.
Orville and Margaret were blessed with many grandchildren, ranging from 47 to 2 years old!
Four Grandchildren:
Kimberly Atchison Green (Larry)
Patrick Atchison (Marcy)
Charity Phillips Breidenbach (Jason)
Chanel Phillips
Ten Great Grandchildren:
(Green family) - Ashleigh (Green) Jackson, Mikayla (Green) Lignell, Lauren, Gabby and Michael
(Breidenbach family) - Roman, Dylan, Benjamin Breidenbach
(Phillips/Parks family) - Heileana and Micah Parks
Two Great Great Grandchildren:
Charlie Jackson
Aiden Lignell
Orville is also survived by many nephews, nieces, cousins, and friends. He loved his family dearly, and they loved him in return.
In Orville’s early life as a young man he oiled railroad cars at the Roundhouse in Auburn; he was a Mortician for C.C. Mellinger Funeral Home in Tacoma, and a journeyman groceryman for Brookman’s Grocery in Tacoma.
Orville answered the Lord’s call to serve in the ministry. His first church was at University Place Assembly of God in 1949 under Rev. Tigner. Orville received his credentials in 1952, and he began his work of pastoring and evangelism, with Margaret always by his side. He pastored at Tekoa and Kettle Falls in the early ‘50s. In 1955, while pastoring in St. John, Orville received his ordination.
Orville was an evangelist and served as a lead pastor at numerous places: Winlock, Newburg (Ore), Omak, Walla Walla, Blaine, Kalama, Randle, Granite Falls, and Lakebay. He also served as Presbyter for a number of years in the Eastern Washington region while pastoring in Omak. In 1997 Orville retired from full-time ministry.
We will always honor Orville for his loving service to the Lord, his wife Margaret, his children and their spouses, great grandchildren, great great grandchildren, and his extended family. He cherished them all.
Orville’s biggest desire is that ALL of his family would serve the Lord, and love Him with their whole heart as he did. He frequently talked about spending eternity with his family in Heaven.
Services scheduled for Thursday, July 21, 2016. A Graveside Service will be held at 1:30 p.m. at Mountain View Funeral Home and Memorial Park. Followed by a Celebration of Life Service at 2:30 p.m. at South Tacoma Assembly of God Church.
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