William P. Phillips, Sr.Berlin-William Percy Phillips, Sr. 94, of Berlin, MD passed from this life to meet our Lord on September 23, 2014 comfortably at his home and surrounded by family.Born 22 September 1920 near Berlin, MD, he was the son of the late Audrey Wimbrow and James Richard Phillips, Jr. He is survived by his daughter Susan Phillips DeGroft of Berlin; granddaughters Heather Ross (Phillips) Arters of Garnet Valley, PA and Elizabeth Insley Davis of Berlin; grandsons David Phillips Smack, M.D. of Chestertown, MD, Christopher Cordrey Smack of Berlin, and George William DeGroft III of Washington, D.C.; great-granddaughters Abigail Coulbourne Percy Smack of Chestertown, MD, Hannah Audrey Davis of Berlin and Meghan Ruth Arters of Garnet Valley, PA; great-grandsons Matthew Reid Arters of Glen Mills, PA, Christopher Cordrey Smack II of Berlin, Thomas Harvey Davis V of Berlin, Caleb Revell Phillips Smack of Chestertown, MD, James Gerald Arters of Garnet Valley, PA, and George William DeGroft IV of Washington, D.C. Bill attended Buckingham Elementary locally prior to finishing at the Peddie School in Hightstown, NJ. His education continued at Princeton University and concluded with his graduation in 1942. While at Princeton, he began many friendships with fellow dinner club members that lasted his lifetime. On 26 January 1942, he was married to Polly Lee Insley of Salisbury. Upon graduating from Princeton, he joined the United States Navy and served honorably during World War II with tours in the Pacific theater of operations aboard the aircraft carriers Saratoga, Lexington and Yorktown. During his tours, he was assigned as a munitions officer and attained the rank of Lieutenant. While onboard the Yorktown, his carrier battle group, which included the battleship Missouri, the battle cruiser Alaska and other carriers and support vessels, was tasked to support a possible invasion of the Japanese mainland. In his later years, he would recall with trepidation the harrowing Kamikaze attacks his carrier battle group endured prior to Wars end with a direct hit sustained by the Yorktown and the crippling of another carrier in the group. While serving in the South Pacific his unit received three Presidential Citations. Following the War, he joined the family business, J. R. Phillips, Jr. and Sons, Inc. (Phillips Canning Company) of Berlin, where he served as Secretary/Treasurer until the conclusion of operations in 1970. He was a member of the Calvin B. Taylor Bank Board of Directors from 1961 through 1990 and was appointed Director Emeritus from 1990 through 2014. He also served as a member of Taylor Bank's Executive Committee. For many years, he was as a member of the Peninsula General Hospital Board of Directors. In addition he was on the Zoning Appeals Board, Director of the Mid Atlantic Food Processing Association, and Past President of the Worcester County Historical Society. He and his wife Polly were active, lifelong members of the Ocean City Golf and Yacht Club, and he was an enthusiastic member of the Cedar Valley Gunning Club on Assateague Island. They also enjoyed traveling together with notable visits to Europe and the great pyramids of Egypt. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his sister Elizabeth; brothers James Richard, Robert and Edward; wife Polly; sons Lee Richard and William. A funeral service officiated by the Rev. Michael Moyer will take place on Friday September 26, 2014 at 2 pm at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Berlin, where family andfriends will gather one hour prior to the service. A donation in his memory may be made to: St Paul's Episcopal Church 3 Church St. Berlin, MD 21811 Interment will follow in the St. Paul's Churchyard. Arrangements are by Burbage Funeral Home, 108 William Street, Berlin, Maryland 21811.Letters of condolence may be sent via: www.burbagefuneralhome.com.

Mr. Phillips was so sweet to me.  I learned so much from him.  He is knowledgable about many topics.  If you want a history lesson, sit next to him.  He shared memories, thoughts, fears, suprises, wisdom, love and passion for life itself.  I just hope that I made a difference in their lives as much as they have been in mine.  Thank you for being my friend and treating me so wonderful.  It was a pleasure working 7 years for you and your classy wife.  You will be in my heart forever.

William Phillips served his country being in the Navy.  He worked in his canning factory with his brothers.  He "retired" from there to enjoy life with his wife, family and friends. He was a great business man, pilot, husband, father, brother, uncle, nephew, cousin, Grandpa, and Great Grandpa, friend, and provider.

He saw a picture of a woman in the paper, and told his friends, that was the girl he was going to marry. When he asked her out, she wanted to go out that night. He had to tell her he had plans (another date).  She almost backed out.  He went out with her two days later and found his heart to be correct.  They hit it off, and he married her.  They were married over 70 blessed years.  They had 3 children.  I once heard Miss Polly tell him, thank you for buying her this house, that she loved it.  

A recent memory is when the were singing Christmas songs together daily. They were so cute.  One day, I actually got them to slow dance for two songs.  It was sweet and a romantic moment.

At night, at bedtime, Mr. Phillips would go over to Miss Polly, bend down and kiss her, tell her he loved her, and tell her, he would see her in the morning, God willing.  It was wonderful to see a couple who were together so long, still love each other still.  Most couples are just a pair of comfortable shoes after so many years, they were still in love.


His daughter Susan meant everything to him!  She was always there to brighten his day from making home made ice cream, to home made cheese, to even making home made beer.  They always had a beautiful garden where birds graced their presence.  Susan made the garden full of flowers, and seed to attract multiple types of birds.  She also helped Mr. Phillips with a full greenhouse, which was his pride and joy this spring.