Leroy Phillips Sr. was born by a midwife to Margaret Thomas and Jerry Phillips Jr. in Lake Charles, La., on Oct. 15, 1948. He began his eternal relationship with God at a very young age while worshiping at Christian Baptist Church in Lake Charles. Leroy started working with his uncle Dave on the ice truck while in school and at the Chicken Poultry before graduating high school at W.O. Boston in 1966.
After graduating, during the Vietnam era, Leroy enlisted in the United States Air Force in June 1966. He completed Basic Military Training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas. On Dec. 26, 1970, Leroy, aka “the boy next door,” married his childhood sweetheart and mate for life, Jacqueline Lavergne Phillips. Leroy spent 24 years and six months serving his country as a Medical Logistics Specialist. His service included assignments at Randolph, Lackland, and Eglin Air Force Base, before being stationed “overseas” in Okinawa, Japan, Upper Heyford, England, and then finally retiring at Warner Robins Air Force Base, in Warner Robins, Georgia in 1993. After retirement, Leroy worked at Northrop Grumman, BP Gas Station, and Houston County Sheriff’s Office, where he graduated with a Jailer Diploma from the Georgia Public Safety Training Center in 2002. Leroy then worked at Purdue Farms in Perry, Georgia, where he later retired from working for the last time.
Leroy enjoyed fishing and watching and collecting movies. But most of all, he loved to play and mastered the game of chess. He also loved to barbeque and eat gumbo to include his all-time favorite boudin, which he had to get every time he came home. His all-time favorite hobby was taking pictures and collecting antiques. A few of his favorite songs are Amazing Grace, Something about the Name Jesus, and Georgia on My Mind.
Leroy was preceded in death in his immediate family by his mother, Margaret Thomas; his sister, Margie Guy; and brother, Earl Ray Phillips Sr.
Leroy leaves to cherish his memory, his wife, affectionately known as “Jackie”; their three sons, Leroy Phillips Jr. and Nathaniel Phillips, both of Warner Robins, Ga. and Joseph Phillips of Denver, Colo.; three grandchildren, Casey Boswell, Joseph Boswell, and Natorie Phillips; and one great-granddaughter, Hermonie Rose Colquitt. He also leaves his father, Jerry Phillips Jr. (95); stepmother, Lena Phillips; four sisters, Louetha Lastrapes, Diana Phillips, and Erica Phillips all of Lake Charles and Keisha Stewart of Hurst, Texas; five brothers, Clifford Phillips Sr., Arthur Phillips Sr. and Eric Phillips Sr. of Lake Charles, Jerry Phillips III of Missouri City, Texas, and Eddie Phillips I of Grovetown, Ga.; two aunts, Kathleen Jean (94) and Joyce Reed, both of Lake Charles, uncles, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, extended family members, other relatives, and friends.
Visitation to be held Tuesday, May 17, 2022 at Johnson Funeral Home beginning 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Visitation to resume Wednesday, May 18, 2022 from 9 a.m. until time of service. Funeral service led by the Rev. Dr. Samuel C. Tolbert Jr. will begin at 11 a.m. He will be laid to rest at Southwest Louisiana Veterans Cemetery in Jennings, La. Committal services to begin at 1:30 p.m.
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