Ethel "Robin" Phillips

Ethel L. Phillips, 70, known by her friends and family as Robin, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, May 16, 2023, after a three year battle with ovarian cancer.
A memorial service will be held at 2:00 pm, Tuesday, May 23, 2023, at First Baptist Church of St. Matthews, with Rev. Thomas B. Huggins officiating. The family will receive friends from 6:00pm to 8:00pm, Monday, May 22, 2023 at Dukes-Harley Funeral Home.
Robin was born in Chicago, IL, a daughter of the late Steve Livingston and Mary J. Livingston, and lived as a child in Germany, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and Kentucky, before settling in St. Matthews at age 11. She was a graduate of St. Matthews High School and, thereafter, sought employment at USDA Farm Service Agency, where she eventually retired as the County Executive Director of Calhoun and Richland counties, after serving the farming community for 30 years. Robin continued to serve her community tirelessly after her retirement, volunteering as the store manager of Calhoun County Cares and with Calhoun County Snack Packs. She attended the First Baptist Church of St. Matthews and Pine Grove Methodist Church in Fines Creek, NC where she and her husband shared a mountain home where they spent many happy, relaxing weekends.
Survivors include her husband of 50 years, Bill Phillips; daughter, Katie McAlister (husband, Ian); son, James Phillips (husband,Von); and her granddaughter, Maisey. In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her eldest son, Will Phillips; and brother, Andy Livingston.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to be made to Calhoun County Cares, P.O. Box 417, St. Matthews, SC 29135 or the Calhoun County Snack Packs, 1808 Bridge Street, St. Matthews, SC 29135.