James T. Phillips Sr. Obituary (1928 - 2016)

Funeral services for James T. Phillips Sr., 88, of The Villages, FL and Edwardsville, NY will be held on Wednesday July 6, 2016 at 11 A.M. at the First United Methodist Church of Ogdensburg, with Rev. Donna Fichette and Rev. Norman Bice co-officiating. Entombment will follow the funeral service at Foxwood Memorial Park in Ogdensburg. A visitation will be held from 4-7 P.M. on Tuesday July 5, 2016 at the LaRue & Pitcher Funeral Home. Mr. Phillips died on Tuesday June 28, 2016 at the Villages Regional Hospital in The Villages, Florida. Arrangements are under the direction of LaRue & Pitcher Funeral Home, Ogdensburg. James T. Phillips Sr. was born on March 1, 1928 in Ogdensburg, he was the son of the late John H. and Kathleen S. (Tuttle) Phillips. He was a graduate of Ogdensburg Free Academy and attended Clarkson University. He enlisted in the United States Army on July 9th, 1953 and served in the Military Police at Fort Gordon Augusta Georgia. He received his honorable discharge on July 8th, 1955. On August 30th, 1952 he married Ella Mae Speed. Ella Mae died on January 2, 1987 following a long battle with cancer. After his time at Clarkson he purchased the Simmons and Phillips Insurance Agency, which has been in business since 1898. He eventually changed the name to the J.T. Phillips Insurance Agency. In 1955 he started a Real Estate Company, “Phillips Real Estate”. Mr. Phillips then bought the historical house on State Street originally built in 1849, that houses the insurance office today in 1982 and restored it. Mr. Phillips then incorporated the insurance business in 1985, with the name J.T. Phillips Insurance Agency, Inc. On March 5, 1994 he married Dottie Hill at the First United Methodist Church of Ogdensburg. In 1994 James Sr.’s son, James T. Phillips Jr. took over his father's insurance business and in 1995 James Sr. retired. Dottie and James would spend winters in Lady Lake, FL as seasonal residents of “The Villages”. In the last few years they lived there year round. James was an avid collector of firearms, enjoyed hunting, fishing, skiing, tennis and family outings. James is survived by his wife, Dottie Phillips, his son James T. Phillips Jr. and his wife Joan of Booth Island, Edwardsville, his daughter, Sue Ella Watson and her husband Bill also of Booth Island, Edwardsville. He is survived by his step-daughters Jenny Ludwig and her husband Paul of Pennsylvania, Catherine Sansoucy-Robinson and her husband Scott of Rome, NY and Victoria Hynes and her husband Mike of Tennessee. He is also survived by many loving grandchildren. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations in James’ memory be made to The First United Methodist Church of Ogdensburg 627 Caroline Street Ogdensburg, NY 13669, St. Lawrence Valley SPCA 6718 NY-68, Ogdensburg, NY 13669 or to the Black Lake Association P.O. Box 308 Hammond, NY 13646. Online condolences may be made at www.LaRuePitcher.com.