Dr. William Eugene Phipps

Dr. William E. Phipps

Doctor William Eugene Phipps, 80, author and Professor Emeritus of Religion and Philosophy at Davis and Elkins College in Elkins, West Virginia, died on Tuesday, March 2, 2010, at his home in Richmond, Virginia.

He was born on January 28, 1930, in Waynesboro, Virginia, a son of the late Reverend Charles H. Phipps and Ruth Patterson LaVelle Phipps.

He graduated from Waynesboro High School in 1946, and earned the bachelor's degree in physics from Davidson College. In 1952, he received the M. Div. from Union Theological Seminary in Virginia, and was ordained into the ministry by Lexington Presbytery. In 1954, he was awarded the Ph.D. in Biblical criticism from St. Andrews University in Scotland.

On December 21, 1954, he married Martha Ann Swezey of Waynesboro.

From 1954 until 1956, Dr. Phipps was Professor of Bible at Peace College in Raleigh, North Carolina. From 1956 until his retirement in 1995, he was Professor of Religion and Philosophy and Department Chair at Davis and Elkins College. On a sabbatical in 1962 until 1963, he earned an M.A. in Philosophy at the University of Hawaii.

On subsequent sabbaticals and throughout his retirement, he wrote numerous books and articles, including Was Jesus Married?, Influential Theologians on Wo/Man, Death: Confronting the Reality, Genesis and Gender: Biblical Myths of Sexuality and Their Cultural Impact, Cremation Concerns, Assertive Biblical Women, Wisdom and Wit of Rabbi Jesus, Muhammad and Jesus, William Sheppard: Congo's African-American Livingstone, Darwin's Religious Odyssey, Mark Twain's Religion, Amazing Grace in John Newton, Clerical Celibacy: The Heritage, Supernaturalism in Christianity, and Ginter Park Presbyterian Church: the First Hundred Years. Another book, The Apostles' Creed Critically Examined, will be published later this year.

Upon his retirement, alumni of Davis and Elkins College and friends honored Dr. Phipps by establishing a lectureship in his name. Accomplished scholars from a variety of backgrounds are brought to campus each year to encourage students to inquire more deeply into religious faith and philosophical values, to discover relationships between religion and other academic disciplines, and to set higher standards for personal religious commitment and intellectual achievement.

Dr. Phipps had an unceasing interest in extended family and in maintaining long-term relationships with students and colleagues. He was a dedicated scholar, church member, and prodigious writer, exploring new topics in religion throughout his travels, research, and writing. He was a minister member of Ginter Park Presbyterian Church in Richmond, Virginia, and formerly of Davis Memorial Presbyterian Church in Elkins, West Virginia.

In addition to his wife Martha Ann, surviving are one son, Charles Henry Phipps of Staunton, Virginia; and two daughters, Anna Phipps Engh and her husband, Dr. Andy Engh of Alexandria, Virginia and Ruth Phipps Chapman and her husband, Jeff Chapman, of Pleasantville, New York; four grandchildren, Catherine and Charlie Engh of Alexandria, Virginia, and Cary and Laura Chapman of Pleasantville, New York; three sisters, Margie Lee Shick of Temperance, Michigan; LaVelle Pool of Waynesboro,Virginia; Ruth Metzel and her husband, the Reverend William S. Metzel, of Richmond, Virginia; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Preceding him in death were his brother, Brigadier General Charles H. Phipps; and two sisters, Rosa Phipps Williford and Lois Phipps Brown.

A memorial service will be held at Ginter Park Presbyterian Church 2 p.m. Sunday, March 7, 2010, followed by a reception in the Early Center at Union Presbyterian Seminary.

A graveside service will take place at the River View Cemetery in Waynesboro, Virginia, 10 a.m. Saturday, April 10, 2010.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Davis and Elkins College, 100 Campus Drive, Elkins, WV 26241, or to Ginter Park Presbyterian Church, 3601 Seminary Avenue, Richmond, VA 23227.


This obituary was originally published in the News Virginian.