James Harry Phillips Jr.

James Harry Phillips Jr., Colonel, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Ret), 90, of Fordyce, died at St. Vincent Hospital on Wednesday, October 25, 2017. Colonel Phillips served with distinction in three American wars including six offensive campaigns. He enlisted in the Army in 1946, interrupting a promising football career, and joined the 11th Airborne Division in the Army of Occupation in Yokohama Japan. The 11th Airborne put his football skills to use, and Colonel Phillips helped the team win the Pacific Championship in Shanghai against the Navy team that year. He served as a rifle company commander in Korea from 1953 to 1954 and as commander of the 20th Engineer Battalion Combat in Vietnam from 1967 to 1968. A highly decorated soldier, Colonel Phillips was awarded a Silver Star and Bronze Star for valor in Korea, as well as a Purple Heart. In Vietnam he was also awarded a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart. He received 13 other war and peacetime distinctions. Colonel Phillips' peacetime postings included a role as military attache' to Pakistan from 1965 to 1967 and Army staff in the office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations in the Pentagon from 1968 to 1970, where he was instrumental in developing coordinated nuclear policy for the United States Military. He served as Brigade Commander at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri from 1971 to 1974 and as Secretary for the Mississippi River Commission in Vicksburg, Mississippi from 1975 to 1979. After retiring from the Army, Colonel Phillips served as the Executive Director of the Arkansas Waterways Commission from 1980 to 1993. In 2010, he was inducted into the Arkansas River Hall of Fame. Colonel Phillips retired from public service in 1993, moving to Fordyce, Arkansas, where he directed his attention to the restoration of the historic 1904 Wynne Phillips House and the Dallas County Museum. As projects manager for the Dallas County Museum, he restored the 1907 McKee building in Fordyce, the 1883 Nutt-Trussell Building, and the 1884 Bank of Fordyce building. Colonel Phillips was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Fordyce, the Fordyce Rotary Club, the Fordyce Country Club, and a past president of the Fordyce Chamber of Commerce. Colonel Phillips continued to serve on the board of the Dallas County Museum until his death. A lifelong Arkansan, Colonel Phillips was born in Little Rock, Arkansas on July 19, 1927, the son of Dean Allen Phillips Denham and James Harry Phillips. Although he was awarded a football scholarship at Clemson University, following his enlistment in the Army of Occupation, Colonel Phillips finished his education with a BSBA degree from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville in 1950 where he met his wife, Agnes Wynne, and accepted an ROTC commission as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army upon graduation that year. Colonel Phillips is survived by his wife of 66 years, Agnes Wynne Phillips and his sons James Harry Phillips, III and wife Susan Wesley Phillips of Little Rock, Raymond Wynne Phillips, M.D. and wife Marian Levy Phillips of Naples, Florida, and Douglas Allen Phillips and wife Willow Cowart Phillips of Atlanta, Georgia. His grandchildren are Sarah Catherine Phillips Gutierrez and husband Jorge Gutierrez, Rachel Dean Phillips and husband Joshua Bregy Saltman, Anna Elizabeth Phillips, Laura Rose Phillips and Douglas Allen Phillips Jr. He is also survived by four great-grandchildren. He is remembered by his family and friends as a brave soldier, hero and advisor who cared deeply about the wellbeing of his country, his community and his family. "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." (2 Timothy 4:7). A visitation will be held at Benton Funeral Home in Fordyce from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm on Friday, November 3, 2017. The memorial service will be held at the First United Methodist Church in Fordyce at 2 p.m. on Saturday, November 4, 2017, and a military graveside service will be held at Oakland Cemetery. Memorials can be made to the Dallas Country Museum (P.O. Box 703, Fordyce, Ark. 71742) or to the First United Methodist Church (104 East Fourth Street, Fordyce, Ark. 71742). Arrangements are by Benton Funeral Home of Fordyce. To sign the online register visit www.bentonfuneralhome.net.