- Date Of Birth: June 16, 1926
- Date Of Death: August 1, 2021
- State: Illinois
Paul Phillips, a retired Brakeman/Switchman for the Burlington Northern Railroad, died of natural causes at 95 years of age, Aug 1st, 2021. He was raised in a little farming community outside of Pittsburg, PA. Born to Ella and Ray Phillips, he had an older sister Lucille (Robert)Fuller and a twin sister Pauline (Ted)Tennant and a little sister Betty Lee (all now deceased, though he is survived by his nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews). He didn’t much like the farming lifestyle and left to enlist in the Army Airforce before his 18th birthday.
The war was winding down, so he was sent overseas to help with supplies, then back stateside for the same job, he was Honorably discharged as PFC at the end of the war. He made his home in Chicago and liked the big city life, driving taxi cabs as his first job there. While a knifing incident ended that career, he never stopped driving like a Chicago cabbie no matter where he was.
In 1959 he met Beverly on the Lake Michigan Beach. He was with his body building buddies and she was with her Stewardess friends. They married the next year and had two kids, Paula (Jim)Rainwater and Charlie (Marie)Phillips. Paul and his “little Lady” left the big city to raise their kids in safety, and the Railroad took more and more of his time. But Paul’s kids and grand-kids knew he needed more than work; he needed the Lord! After years of praying, at age 75 Paul accepted Jesus as his Lord! His faith then became the most important thing in his life, and his prayers were wonderful, uplifting and inspiring!
He liked to share a devotion or written prayer with his friends and family. Paul is survived by his two children 11 grandchildren 18 great grandchildren. Paul and Beverly moved to Waterloo to take care of Family and enjoyed many years of good friends and community with those at Lantern Square Apts. During The last several years of his time in Waterloo, Paul was a member of Waterloo Seventh Day Adventist Church.
It was here he came out of his shell and started enjoying Bible Studies and reaching out to others for the Lord. When he moved back to Illinois, St. Paul Church of Epleyanna, readily welcomed him and made him part of their community, He so appreciated their fellowship.
