- Date Of Birth: November 8, 1927
- Date Of Death: January 15, 2017
- State: Georgia
George Bernard Phipps was born in Manhattan, New York. He was one of seven children born to the late Benjamin Phipps and Ellen Rawlins, natives of St. Kitts in the West Indies. As a former resident of Bronx, New York, he relocated to Newnan, Georgia where he lived for the past seventeen years. George loved New York, however, when he visited, he could not wait to get back home to the quietude and warmth of Georgia. As a young American, George served his country as a soldier in the US Army. He was stationed in Colombia, South Carolina where he served with dignity and pride.
After the military, he spent most of his adult life working with General Motors in Tarry Town, New York. He retired from the company but not from work. George’s philosophy was that retiring from a company does not mean retiring from work because work continues throughout a person’s entire life. He often talked about his life experiences with gratitude and personal satisfaction but most importantly, he was proud of his military experience. He did not hesitate to give his nephews advice whenever they seek counsel on their own career paths. He quickly referenced his days in the military in his conversations as if that was the only work he ever truly loved and valued. He traveled extensively, especially on cruises. His goal was to go on a cruise once or twice per year. He was successful with at least once every two years.
In November 2015, George and his wife went on a cruise together to the Caribbean where they did an island tour of St. Kitts, his favorite island. In his last conversation with his wife, he reminisced on some of their cruises together and suggested they plan another cruise for this year. George loved life and entertainment. He also loved the theatre. Off-Broadway and Alvin Ailey were regular shows that he would not miss. He loved fine dining. He also loved birthdays and thanksgiving celebrations. Most importantly, he loved people and especially children. It was his delight to be around little children. He was never too grown up to play a good game of hiding and go and seek. He always made the children laugh and he listened attentively to the adults as he preferred listening than speaking.
In 1997 George gave his heart to the Lord and was baptized by Dr. Horace Russell at the Victory Seventh Day Adventist Church in Bronx New York. He was an ardent member of the church and rarely missed a Sabbath service. He loved the church. He loved music and especially religious concerts and didn’t hesitate to travel long distance to get to them. . As a Seventh Day Adventist, George devoted his life to serving others. As a member of Shiloh Seventh Day Adventist Church in Smyrna, Georgia, he served as an usher for several years. He was always concerned about the underprivileged, and the disadvantaged and always seek to find opportunities to help others. He became a member of the community liaison group that would visit the shelters on Sabbath evenings to serve the homeless. He volunteered at the church pantry every other Tuesday where he assisted to package food for the community.
George believed in living a healthy lifestyle. He loved to walk and exercise in general. He remained a member of the Atlanta fitness club for years and exercised in the gym up to two months ago. Working in his yard was a part of his exercise routine. He always made a conscious effort not to tell others his age as according to him, “People judge you by numbers and not by who you are in your mentation and stamina”.
There were certain hospitable character traits about George that made him stand out. When people visited his home, he would make sure that they were comfortable and well catered to. He paid great attention to details and personal preferences especially with food choices so that when he got the opportunity, he would know just the right way to make them feel at home. He would go out of his way to make sure that no one was left out of celebrations. He made sure that favorite food items were available. Before family dinners, he would mention individual names like Howard and Austin. These were things he would say: “Lena, did you get pie for Howard or did you bake the cake so Austin can get some?” “What about the ice cream for the kids?” When he was questioned about the ice cream whether it was for the kids or himself, he would laugh and say, “A little of both”. He was a thoughtful and humble family man. At the end of each family get-together, he always brings out the Sparkling Apple Cider to complete the meal.
He was a beloved husband to Lena; beloved father to daughters, Lydia, Cyrille and Joan; beloved grandfather to Monique and Theresa; beloved great-grandfather to Raevon and Ashleig; beloved brother-in-law to Catherine (Kitty), Inez, Yvonne, Charlotte, Deloris, Herbert and Melbourne. George will be missed by all including a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. George has left a vacuum in our hearts that will be impossible to remove, but for the love and grace of God. We mourn today not as those who have no hope, but as those who have felt his love knowing that he allowed God to love us through him and we hope to see him again. However, that does not lessen the pain we feel today.
We will miss not being able to speak to him, hug him, sit with him in his quiet moment and selfishly have him listen to us and impart his wisdom and encouragement to us. He will be missed. Even Hershie (Denae’s dog) cannot understand why he is no longer in his recliner so he can sit at his feet. He still runs up and down the stairs looking for Uncle George to tickle his belly or rub his head. He is looking around every time he visits as if he is asking, “Where is Uncle George?” The words we hear from all the lives he touched is, “We loved George”. The name George brings such comfort to so many family members and friends and we know we will see him again. In the meantime, we are assured that he is resting in peace. He is gone from our mortal presence, but never from our memory as the influence of his life will live in our own journey.
