William Oliver Phillips, affectionally known as "Bill", was born July 16, 1925, in Elkhart, Indiana, the oldest of five children born to Irvin and Annie Phillips. Raised by deeply religious parents, Bill accepted Christ at an early age and was raised in the Methodist faith. In August of 1943, two months after graduating from Elkhart High School, Bill was called by the Selective Service Board to serve in the U.S Navy where he rose to the rank of Petty Officer. Following graduation from the United States Naval School at Great Lakes, Bill was assigned to the North Pacific until the end of World War II. He received an Honorable Discharge in 1946. After returning from military duty, Bill was employed with Excel Corporation as a quality control inspector. After 23 years of service at Excel Corporation, Bill left to become Project Coodinator for Wright Construction Corporation. In 1963, Bill was elected to the Elkhart City Council. He was the first African American to hold an elected position in the City of Elkhart. After being reelected to a second term in 1967, he stepped down in 1969, to manage the Elkhart Municipal Airport. After three years of work at the airport, Bill at the age of fifty accepted a position as a management trainee at St. Joseph Valley Bank. Within five years, Bill advanced to the position of Vice President. He would retire from the bank after 20 years of service. One of his proudest achievements was starting the small business commercial loan department. Bill was always in pursuit of education and self improvement. He attended Indiana University South Bend, and earned a diploma from the American Institute of Banking. A devoted family man he was the father of four children. Two from his first marriage to Earline Robinson in 1947, Kerry and Sherry. In 1957, Bill was united in marriage to the love of his life, Loretha Blackburn, from this union two sons, Alison and Kipling, were born. A distinguished leader and contributor to the community and City of Elkhart, Bill committed his life to serving others and improving the quality of life for those in Elkhart. He talked about Elkhart wherever he went. His extensive community participation attests to his life of action and service. Some of the many activities Bill was active in included, Commissioner of the Elkhart Housing Authority, Board Member of The Elkhart County Community Foundation, The United Way, Salvation Army, Director of the Elkhart General Hospital for over 10 years, Chairman of the Board of the Elkhart General Hospital for two years, Jaycees, NAACP, Elkhart Rotary Club, and Chamber of Commerce. In 1978, then Governor Otis Bowen appointed Bill to the Indiana Statewide Health Coordinating Council. He was reappointed to this body for a second term by then Governor Robert Orr in 1981. Bill was the recipient of numerous awards and recognitions, to name just a few, the Indiana University Lewis S. Armstrong Award for Business and Economics, Arthur J. Decio Award for Volunteer for the Year 2005, Labor Humanitarian Award, Ben Barnes Community Service Award, NPHRS Lifetime Award in 2009, recognitions from the Elkhart Branch of NAACP, Elkhart Urban League, and Indiana Black Expo. Bill's many hobbies and interests included collecting clowns, golf,music, politics, traveling, reading, playing bass guitar, Notre Dame sports, participating in the Couples Club, and being a fashionable, impeccable dresser. Bill was a charter member of Agape Missionary Baptist Church where he served as a Trustee for several years. Bill's elegant and graceful manner will never be forgotten. He will forever be remembered as one of the pioneers in Elkhart who faithfully dedicated his life to the people and organizations he served. He never met a stranger and prided himself on having friends all over the country. Always quick to tell a story or joke, Bill leaves to remember his life, a devoted wife of 55 years, Loretha, two sons, Kerry (Minnie) Phillips of Rochester Hills, MI, Alison (Julie) Phillips of Elkhart, IN, one daughter Sherry Simmons of Kalamazo, MI, five grandchildren, Solon (Lezah) Phillips of Farmington Hills, MI, Reuquiyah (David) Saunders of Kalamazoo, MI, Spencer Simmons of Lansing, MI, Alyson Phillips of Portland, OR, and Traci Simmons of Kalamazoo, MI, three great-grandsons, Donovan and David Saunders Jr. of Kalamazoo, MI,and Joshua Phillips of Farmington Hills, MI, two sister-in-laws, E. Jean Phillips and Floretha Robinson of Elkhart, IN. Also left to cherish his memory are a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and special friends, which include Dick Evans, Horace Barnett, and Jim Pyles. Bill was preceded in death by his parents, son, Kipling, two brothers, Roger and Herbert Phillips, and two sister, Wilma Washburn and Joyce Coley. Visitation will be Friday, Nov. 2, 2012 from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Hartzler-Gutermuth-Inman Funeral Home and from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012 at the Lerner Theater. The Celebration of Life service will be at the Lerner Theater at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday. Burial will follow at Rice Cemetery. Online condolences may be sent at www.hartzlergutermuthinman.com. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to The American Lung Association or The A.I.D.S. Foundation.