Dennis A J Phillips died on 3 November 2021 at age 80, the result of injuries received in an automobile accident. Dennis A J Phillips was born in St Johns, Michigan on 20 October 1941, the son of Parmer R and Mary E (Wright) Phillips. Dennis grew up on the family farm & orchard in Fulton Township, Gratiot County Michigan and attended the one-room County Line school and the East Essex Elementary school, of which he was in the first 8th grade graduating class from the new school. He then attended Rodney B Wilson High School in St Johns, where he participated in track, baseball and basketball, graduating in 1960. Following graduation, he attended University of Michigan for one year and then returned to the farm & orchard. He took additional classes at Michigan State University, including a Horticulture short course, and was a participant in the Kellogg Farmers Study Program, Group II through MSU. On 30 June 1962, he married Gayla Johnson, who survives him.
He enjoyed working in the woods and in the orchard with the trees. Dennis was the fifth generation of Phillips' to operate the family farm & orchard. He considered himself blessed to be part of over 50 apple harvests. He figured he had planted over 30,000 trees in his lifetime with over 20,000 still going strong. He went into partnership with his father at the family orchard and in 1965 they expanded and built Centennial Farm Market in Dewitt, which he managed until 1973. He then took over management of the orchard as his father retired.
Also surviving are their three children, Deborah (Jeffrey) Swears; Brian Phillips (Gregg Smyth) and Steven (Susan Hoffman) Phillips; Grandchildren Jordan (Sarah Tomaszewski) Swears, Gregory (Jamie Jagodzinski) Swears, and Katherine (Eric) Winer. Great grandchildren: River Swears, Brooklyn, Theodore, and Addison Swears and Fitzgerald, Beckett, and Josephine Winer, five step-grandchildren, thirteen step-great grandchildren, Sister Priscilla (Pepper) Fox, and many brothers and sisters-in-law, cousins, nieces and nephews, and friends.
He was predeceased by his parents Parmer and Mary (Wright) Phillips and a sister, Kathleen Phillips.
A memorial service will be held at the Pilgrim United Methodist Church at 2965 W. Parks Road, St. Johns, MI. 48879 on Saturday, November 6, 2021 with visitation from 10 am. – 12 pm., service at 12:00 pm. Private burial with the immediate family will be at the Union Home Cemetery.
He enjoyed working in the woods and in the orchard with the trees. Dennis was the fifth generation of Phillips' to operate the family farm & orchard. He considered himself blessed to be part of over 50 apple harvests. He figured he had planted over 30,000 trees in his lifetime with over 20,000 still going strong. He went into partnership with his father at the family orchard and in 1965 they expanded and built Centennial Farm Market in Dewitt, which he managed until 1973. He then took over management of the orchard as his father retired.
Also surviving are their three children, Deborah (Jeffrey) Swears; Brian Phillips (Gregg Smyth) and Steven (Susan Hoffman) Phillips; Grandchildren Jordan (Sarah Tomaszewski) Swears, Gregory (Jamie Jagodzinski) Swears, and Katherine (Eric) Winer. Great grandchildren: River Swears, Brooklyn, Theodore, and Addison Swears and Fitzgerald, Beckett, and Josephine Winer, five step-grandchildren, thirteen step-great grandchildren, Sister Priscilla (Pepper) Fox, and many brothers and sisters-in-law, cousins, nieces and nephews, and friends.
He was predeceased by his parents Parmer and Mary (Wright) Phillips and a sister, Kathleen Phillips.
A memorial service will be held at the Pilgrim United Methodist Church at 2965 W. Parks Road, St. Johns, MI. 48879 on Saturday, November 6, 2021 with visitation from 10 am. – 12 pm., service at 12:00 pm. Private burial with the immediate family will be at the Union Home Cemetery.
Dennis A J Phillips died on 3 November 2021 at age 80, the result of injuries received in an automobile accident. Dennis A J Phillips was born in St Johns, Michigan on 20 October 1941, the son of Parmer R and Mary E (Wright) Phillips. Dennis grew up on the family farm & orchard in Fulton Township, Gratiot County Michigan and attended the one-room County Line school and the East Essex Elementary school, of which he was in the first 8th grade graduating class from the new school. He then attended Rodney B Wilson High School in St Johns, where he participated in track, baseball and basketball, graduating in 1960. Following graduation, he attended University of Michigan for one year and then returned to the farm & orchard. He took additional classes at Michigan State University, including a Horticulture short course, and was a participant in the Kellogg Farmers Study Program, Group II through MSU. On 30 June 1962, he married Gayla Johnson, who survives him.
He enjoyed working in the woods and in the orchard with the trees. Dennis was the fifth generation of Phillips' to operate the family farm & orchard. He considered himself blessed to be part of over 50 apple harvests. He figured he had planted over 30,000 trees in his lifetime with over 20,000 still going strong. He went into partnership with his father at the family orchard and in 1965 they expanded and built Centennial Farm Market in Dewitt, which he managed until 1973. He then took over management of the orchard as his father retired.
Also surviving are their three children, Deborah (Jeffrey) Swears; Brian Phillips (Gregg Smyth) and Steven (Susan Hoffman) Phillips; Grandchildren Jordan (Sarah Tomaszewski) Swears, Gregory (Jamie Jagodzinski) Swears, and Katherine (Eric) Winer. Great grandchildren: River Swears, Brooklyn, Theodore, and Addison Swears and Fitzgerald, Beckett, and Josephine Winer, five step-grandchildren, thirteen step-great grandchildren, Sister Priscilla (Pepper) Fox, and many brothers and sisters-in-law, cousins, nieces and nephews, and friends.
He was predeceased by his parents Parmer and Mary (Wright) Phillips and a sister, Kathleen Phillips.
A memorial service will be held at the Pilgrim United Methodist Church at 2965 W. Parks Road, St. Johns, MI. 48879 on Saturday, November 6, 2021 with visitation from 10 am. – 12 pm., service at 12:00 pm. Private burial with the immediate family will be at the Union Home Cemetery.
He enjoyed working in the woods and in the orchard with the trees. Dennis was the fifth generation of Phillips' to operate the family farm & orchard. He considered himself blessed to be part of over 50 apple harvests. He figured he had planted over 30,000 trees in his lifetime with over 20,000 still going strong. He went into partnership with his father at the family orchard and in 1965 they expanded and built Centennial Farm Market in Dewitt, which he managed until 1973. He then took over management of the orchard as his father retired.
Also surviving are their three children, Deborah (Jeffrey) Swears; Brian Phillips (Gregg Smyth) and Steven (Susan Hoffman) Phillips; Grandchildren Jordan (Sarah Tomaszewski) Swears, Gregory (Jamie Jagodzinski) Swears, and Katherine (Eric) Winer. Great grandchildren: River Swears, Brooklyn, Theodore, and Addison Swears and Fitzgerald, Beckett, and Josephine Winer, five step-grandchildren, thirteen step-great grandchildren, Sister Priscilla (Pepper) Fox, and many brothers and sisters-in-law, cousins, nieces and nephews, and friends.
He was predeceased by his parents Parmer and Mary (Wright) Phillips and a sister, Kathleen Phillips.
A memorial service will be held at the Pilgrim United Methodist Church at 2965 W. Parks Road, St. Johns, MI. 48879 on Saturday, November 6, 2021 with visitation from 10 am. – 12 pm., service at 12:00 pm. Private burial with the immediate family will be at the Union Home Cemetery.
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