Victor Eugene Phillips, 66, of Spansail Court, Niles, died at 2:03 p.m. Thursday, May 6, 2010, at Memorial Hospital, South Bend, Ind., from injuries sustained in a residential accident.

He was born Sept. 1, 1943, in Lake City, Ark., to Victor R. and Lou Emma (Walker) Phillips.

He graduated from Niles High School in 1961 and earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Western Michigan University in 1969.

He lived most of his lifetime in southwestern Michigan, coming from Arkansas as a child.

He retired in 2002 after 13 years of service from Lyons Industries in Dowagiac. He was also formerly employed at Sibley Machine in South Bend.

Victor was a veteran of the Vietnam era, having served in the U.S. Air Force from 1962 to 1966.

He was a member of American Legion Post 26 and the Disabled American Veterans, both of Niles.

He enjoyed fishing, reading, traveling and was always helping others. His greatest joy was spending time with family, especially his grandson.

On June 22, 1963, he married Jeanette (Smith) Phillips, who survives. He is also survived by: his daughters, Sara (Gary) Exum, of Granger, Ind., and Christine Phillips, of Niles; grandson, Alexander Victor Phillips, of Niles; mother, Lou Emma Phillips, of South Bend; brothers, Jimmy Durl Phillips, of Dowagiac, James William (Beverley) Phillips, of Edwardsburg, Issac “Ray” (Sylvia) Phillips, Charles Wayne (Jeanette) Phillips and Robert Earl (Terrie) Phillips, all of Niles; and several nieces and nephews.

Mr. Phillips was preceded in death by his father, Victor R. Phillips, who died Oct. 12, 2009, and a grandmother, Nina Story, who died April 1, 1995.
Services for Victor Eugene Phillips will be at 2 p.m. Monday, May 10, at Halbritter Funeral Home in Niles with the Rev. Dan D. Miller of First Missionary Church in Niles officiating.

Interment will be at Mission Hills Memorial Gardens in Niles.

His family will receive relatives and friends from noon to 2 p.m. Monday at the funeral home.

Contributions in memory of Victor may be made to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.