John Stephen Phillips, 58, died peacefully at his mother’s home on Wednesday, July 29, 2009, with his mother and brother at his side. Born in Atlanta, Ga., he graduated from Kirkwood High School in Missouri, and was a co-op student at the Georgia Institute of Technology where he graduated. Steve was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Vero Beach.
Steve loved airplanes and airplane people, and enjoyed flying his own Cessna, as well as restoring antique cars. He worked at Lockheed Martin in Marietta, Georgia, for 36 years. During his long career, he worked in many fields including structural analysis, value engineering, cost analysis, systems engineering, and program management. He worked on the C-5, C-130, and F-22 programs, but the highlight of his career was serving as program manager of the WC-130J Hurricane Hunter program. Steve retired from Lockheed in 2006. His colleagues admired his professionalism; his friends valued his wise counsel, great sense of humor and fun-loving spirit.
Survivors include his mother, Dorothy B. Phillips, of Vero Beach; his brother, Robert M. Phillips, of Louisville, Colo.; a niece, Lindsey E. Phillips; and a nephew, Matthew E. Phillips. He was predeceased by a sister, Carol Ann Phillips, in 1987; and his father, Emory B. “Jack” Phillips, died in January 2009.
A memorial service will be held Monday, Aug. 3, 2009, at 10 a.m. at the church. The family requests that any donations in Steve’s memory should be made to the First United Methodist Church. A joint memorial service will be held at a later date for Steve and his father at Arlington Cemetery in Atlanta, Ga. Arrangements are under the direction of Cox-Gifford-Seawinds Funeral Home and Crematory, Vero Beach, FL. Condolences may be sent through www.seawindsfh.com/obit.php.
