Mr. Jerry C. "Pop" Phillips

Funeral services for Mr. Jerry C. “Pop” Phillips, 81, of Beckville, Texas, will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 25, 2026, at Central Baptist Church with Rev. Carl Anderson, Mr. Clint Jones, and Rev. Brandon Harrington officiating. Interment of ashes will follow in Little Hope Cemetery in Winnsboro, Texas. Visitation will be held from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. at Central Baptist Church prior to the service. Mr. Jerry Cleo Phillips was born on March 23, 1945, at Balboa Naval Hospital in San Diego, California. He passed peacefully from this life into heaven on April 21, 2026, surrounded by family at his home in Beckville, Texas. Jerry was one of seven children born to Cliffie Estell Jones and Vernon Cleo Phillips. He was raised and educated in Houston and Winnsboro, Texas. Jerry married the love of his life, Bonita Faye Bradshaw, on September 6, 1963, at Little Hope Baptist Church. Together they celebrated nearly 60 years of marriage and raised three children before she preceded him in death in 2023. Jerry and Bonita were both saved the same night at Victory Baptist Church in Sherman, Texas, where he was also licensed into the ministry. Mr. Phillips began his working career in his youth with his father and brother in Phillips Roofing. After marrying Bonita in 1963, the couple moved to Dallas, where he was hired at age 19 as a journeyman lineman for Dallas Power and Light. In May 1976, he transferred to Texas Utilities Mining Company (TUMCO), starting as a dragline operator and advancing to Pit Foreman. He worked a total of 37 years for DP&L/TUMCO before retiring briefly, then served 15 years as an Inspector for the Texas Department of Transportation in Carthage. He retired again and entered full-time pastoral ministry. Jerry was a longtime member of First Baptist Church of Beckville, where he served as deacon and later as pastor, becoming the second longest-tenured pastor in the church’s history. He also served as a Sunday School teacher and deacon at First Baptist Church of Carthage and later pastored Liberty Baptist Church in Henderson. He loved studying and teaching the Bible and became a well-respected self-taught Bible scholar. Jerry loved hunting, fishing, and woodworking. He cherished spending time with his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. He and Bonita enjoyed many happy hours together during his second retirement. A man of many talents, Jerry loved restoring classic cars and trucks. Truly, he could fix anything—and if he couldn’t fix it, it was unrepairable. Jerry was preceded in death by his parents; his siblings Mary Estell Parrott, Peggy Nell Barnett, Vernon Clinton Phillips, Virginia Lois Lacey, and Sylvie Jean Henry; and his daughter-in-law, Ronna Phillips. Mr. Phillips is survived by his devoted children: Tammie Herndon and husband Brian of Rockwall, and their children Lauren Alyse Sheppard and husband Jon Jr., their children Kenley Alyse, Chloe Alexis and Graham Kirby of Whitehouse, Texas; Amy Elizabeth Sheppard and husband Matthew, their children Madison Kate, Emma Elizabeth, Eleanor Rose, and Henry Matthew of Cypress, Texas; son Jerry Marcus “Mark” Phillips and his children Ashley Brett Bowen and husband Cody, Erin Brynn Cohorst and husband Stacey, Ryan Douglas and Rhett Marcus, all of Gary; Kelly Phillips Wallace and her children Claire Alexandra Ward and husband John of Arlington, Virginia, and Brice Everett Wallace of Arp, Texas; special “Son” Chris White and wife Julie and family of Gary, Texas; sister Cathy Ann Lawson and husband Ronald of Winnsboro, Texas; special friend Bettie Ross of Longview, Texas; Kent and Donna Elliott and family of Prosper, Texas Along with numerous nieces, nephews, and his beloved church family at First Baptist Church of Beckville. Serving as pallbearers will be Jerry’s grandsons an Ryan Phillips, Rhett Phillips, Brice Wallace, Jacob White; grandsons-in-law: Stacey Cohorst, Jon Sheppard Jr., Matt Sheppard, John Ward, and Cody Bowen. Honorary pallbearers are Jerry Marcus Phillips, Brian Herndon, Chris White, Kent Elliott, Jon Sheppard Sr., and great-grandsons Henry Sheppard and Graham Sheppard. In lieu of floral arrangements, the family requests memorials be made to Gideons International in memory of Jerry. The family wishes to express their deepest gratitude to UT Health Center Carthage (especially ER Dr. Orlando Beckum and nurses), MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Elite Home Health nurses (especially Melissa Thompson), Oleta Huett of Palliative Home Health, and Concho Hearts Hospice of Kilgore (especially Tami, Leslie and Lydia).

Tributes

Mr. Jerry C. "Pop" Phillips

March 23, 1945 - April 21, 2026