George Charles Phillips

George Charles Phillips, age 76, passed away on Friday, the 26th of September 2014. He was called Charles or Charlie by family and friends, but one of his "family nicknames" was Skipper because he always loved to be the skipper of his Uncle Francis' houseboat on the Ouachita River.

Charles was born on the 9th of September 1938, in Shreveport, Louisiana to Mayme Beryl Lindsey Phillips and George Oliver Phillips. He grew up in Monroe, Louisiana. After graduating from Neville High School in 1957, he attended Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, Louisiana. He was a member of Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity and served as both President and Vice President. He kept in touch with many of his fraternity brothers. Charles graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering.

After college, he fulfilled his duty in the Marine Reserves, receiving an honorable discharge. Charles moved to Houston, Texas to begin his professional career with Dow Chemical Company Engineering and Construction Services. After 15 years at Dow, he joined MW Kellogg Engineering for 10 years and returned to Dow for 10 more years until retirement. During his 25 years with Dow, Charles and family lived in Europe for 10 years - in the Hague, Holland; Stade, Germany twice; and in the former East Germany capital, Leipzig, for almost 5 years. Charles and his family traveled extensively throughout Europe. Even after retiring, for almost 10 years Charles was a consulting engineer for Long International based in Littleton, Colorado. Charles' wife, the former Ellyn Wedemeyer, was from Monroe, Louisiana. They met in Houston and were married for 49 years.

Charles loved to hunt and fish. He was also an avid runner, having finished 4 marathons - Houston, Toronto, San Francisco, Los Angeles and the MS150 from Houston to Austin 3 times. He and Ellyn were members of the Houston/Leipzig Sister City Association since 1999. He served on the Board of Directors, was President in 2001 and was Treasurer. Charles was a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, was a Professional Engineer in Louisiana, Texas and Oklahoma and a Land Surveyor in Louisiana.

Charles was preceded in death by his parents, Mayme and George Phillips. He is survived by his loving wife, Ellyn, of Houston; son, Charles Bradley Phillips and wife Dede of Houston; daughter, Patricia Ellyn Northington and husband, Dewey Northington, III of Los Angeles, CA and 4 grandchildren: Madeline and Meredith Phillips, Houston; and Dewey IV and Austin Northington of Los Angeles. He also leaves many Lindsey and Phillips cousins in Texas and Louisiana.

Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with the family from three o'clock until five o'clock in the afternoon on Sunday, the 5th of October, in the chapel of Forest Park Westheimer Funeral Home, 12800 Westheimer Road in Houston. The funeral service is to be conducted at ten o'clock in the morning on Monday, the 6th of October, in the chapel of Forest Park Westheimer Funeral Home, where Rev. Wick Stuckey is to officiate. The interment is to follow in Forest Park Westheimer Cemetery. Immediately following the interment, all are invited to greet the family during a reception in the hospitality room at Forest Park Westheimer Funeral Home.

In lieu of customary remembrances, contributions in Charles' name may be directed to the Alzheimer's Association, 6055 South Loop East, Houston, TX., 77087; Houston Junior Woman's Club Charitable Fund, P. O. Box 19684, Houston, TX., 77224-9684; or to the charity of one's choice.