John Joseph Phillips

John Phillips 1927- 2024

John Joseph Phillips, 96 of Odessa, Missouri passed away peacefully on Thursday, January 18, 2024, at Anew Health and Rehabilitation in Odessa, Missouri, surrounded by his loving family.

John, an avid golfer up to age 95, was born on November 1,1927 in Harlem, New York to John and Florence (Shrimpton) Phillips of Liverpool, England. After graduating high school, John proudly served his country in the United States Navy from 1944 -1945. After his service, he married Gioia A. LaPick and lived in the Bronx, New York. They moved to Columbia, Missouri, where they had a family with a son and a daughter. There, he earned his undergraduate degree from Westminster College in Fulton, MO. After moving to the Kansas City area, he was employed by a military contractor, Lake City Army Ammunition Plant and they had another daughter. He had higher ambitions and in his early 30’s, he earned his Juris Doctorate from the University of Missouri Kansas City. He practiced law in the Independence, MO area for over 50 years. He later remarried and had another son. 

On April 27, 1976, he was united in marriage to Nancy Kathleen Phillips in Kirksville, Missouri, and lived in Blue Springs for many years.

In addition to spending time with family, John could be found at the golf course with his regular group of buddies, joking and laughing through each round. He never believed he had a bad shot; just another shot that could be brilliant. As someone who loved to travel with his wife, one of his favorite memories was playing golf in Scotland and then stopping by for a pint at the world-famous Jigger Inn on the Old Course, St. Andrews. John was a music buff and could always be heard whistling a tune. He loved words and was a poet who produced a lengthy book of his pithy musings.  

John is survived by his loving wife of 47 years, Nancy Phillips of Odessa, MO and son Pat (Lisa) Jones of Odessa, MO. He is also survived by his children from his previous marriages, Kirk (Joyce) Phillips of Sibley, MO; Tara (Orville) English of Grain Valley, MO, Sloan (John) Nohe of Loch Lloyd, MO, John Joseph Phillips, Jr. (Amie) of Lone Jack, Missouri. He had 12 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. 

In addition to his parents, John was preceded in death by a sister, Catherine Zafian and a brother, Raymond Phillips.  

A Family Hosted Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, April 13, 2024 from 1:00p.m. to 4:00p.m., at the Lakewood Oaks Golf Club, 651 NE St. Andrews Cir., Lee's Summit, Missouri 64064. Memories of John and condolences for his family may be left at www.LedfordFamilyFH.com or on our Facebook Page.  Arrangements have been entrusted to the Ralph O. Jones Funeral Home, 306 S. 2^nd St., Odessa, MO, 64076, 816-633-5524.