James Phillips Obituary
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
JOHN WALTHALL
May 21, 2024
I met Jim during the I-270 archaeological project in 1981. Jim became a friend soon after we met - he was a competent archaeologist and administrator and
had good social skills - he understood his role in context of this massive archaeological program and could always be counted on to meet project goals and schedules. Overall, Jim was one of the best men I have known - he will be missed.
Christine (Giannoni) Weis
February 24, 2024
Dr. Phillips (always had a hard time calling him Jim) was one of my professors during my undergrad years at UIC. I think I took every course he taught as he was so engaging and made the subject matter so interesting. Years later, when my career path led me to the Field Museum Library, he would often bring his students into the library for a tour and exclaim, "Christine was one of my students!" It was always a pleasure to cross paths with him in the FM hallways and he will be missed. My sincere condolences to his family.
Bruce Patterson
February 23, 2024
Dear Ruth, Adam and Bridgette, and the rest of the Phillips family, my deepest condolences to you all. Jim was such a special guy. I had the good fortune to have coffee with him at the museum (at the crack of dawn at McDonald's) many hundreds or thousands of times, and basked in his warmth and humor, for life in general and for you in particular. This is my favorite photo of him, in a characteristic pose at the end of a story, ca. 2005... RIP Jimmy
Shevan Wilkin
February 18, 2024
Jim, or Dr. Phillips, as I knew him during my undergrad degree at UIC, was a great inspiration to me. He really encouraged my interest in archaeology and was my biggest supporter when I was deciding to apply for grad school. We kept in touch every few years, and it´ll be different returning to Chicago without him there. He will be sorely missed.
How you can show support
Send flowers
Consider sending flowers.
Add photos
Share their life with photo memories.
Plant trees
Honor them by planting trees in their memory.
Follow this page
Get email updates whenever changes are made.
Donate in Memory
Make a donation in memory of your loved one.
Share this page
Invite other friends and family to visit the page.
Mario Longoni
February 18, 2024
Jim was a kind and supportive teacher and colleague. I took at least one course from him at UIC before we found ourselves both working at the Field Museum. I say "at least" because, while I am pretty sure Stone Tool Technology is the only class of his I took, he had such a big personality and participated so much in departmental life, that everyone know him and felt his influence.
I want to give him a shout out for being one of the anthropologists who stepped up when we had a controversial Cultural Connections event (a program I coordinated for the Field Museum). He volunteered to lead small group discussions among attendees, so we could get at the roots of opposing viewpoints, rather than just feed popular perceptions that someone is essentially right and someone else wrong.
Bob Martin
February 18, 2024
Jim and I first met - and swiftly became very close friends - soon after I joined The Field Museum in 2001. With his customary generosity of spirit, he gaily insisted on introducing Anne-Elise and myself to the many delights of Chicago. Right at the outset (earning our heartfelt gratitude), he convinced us that we needed to found our new home in Lincoln Park. In the context of the Museum, he served as a mentor and guide, often providing me with sage advice at critical junctures. I will never forget his marvellous sense of humour, accompanied by a constant stream of memorable jokes, and I am far from alone in recollecting the magical twinkle in his eyes that brightened many a working day. He was also a great story-teller, enhancing his anecdotes with that special twinkle. We regularly dined together at local restaurants (usually chosen by Jim), where we chatted away to our hearts' content. Jim was a great scholar and colleague, with a truly amazing social network, including many surprising individual connections that steadily popped up throughout the dozen years that we spent together at The Field Museum. One of the passions we shared was an unconditional love of books, by no means limited to academic tomes but also covering a vast expanse of pastime reading. He had a huge library of non-academic books at home, from which I borrowed freely over the years. For the latter part of our time at the Museum, we occupied adjacent offices and shared work tables and cubicles that were occupied by a series of interns and students. On many occasions, Jim restored my flagging spirits with a well-timed cup of coffee. Last May, during our most recent visit to Chicago, Anne-Elise and I spent a wonderful couple of hours visiting with Jim at his home in Wilmette and catching up on news. In the course of that visit, he told us just how much he appreciated his spells at our holiday home in Brittany (France), where he had joined us during each of the three summers prior to the travel shutdown imposed by COVID. Little did we suspect that our meeting last May, sadly, was to be our last encounter. We send our deep condolences to Jim's many family members, who were evidently dear to his heart, as they often figured in his conversations. Rest in Peace, Jim! Gone, but most certainly not forgotten.
Jamie Kelly
February 16, 2024
Jamie Kelly
February 16, 2024
Jamie Kelly
February 16, 2024
Jamie Kelly
February 16, 2024
My heart goes out to all of you during this time. Jim was a beloved colleague at the Field Museum, where I worked with him for over 17 years. Prior to that I knew him through my parents as a family friend. Both he and my dad worked on the FAI-270 archaeological highway project in the 1970s but on different sites for different universities. Jim and I got to know one another on field trips to museums and to Cahokia Mounds when we hosted several dozen archaeologists and museum professionals from Iraq. On trips to Cahokia we would always stop at Ramon´s Mexican restaurant. I will raise a glass in his memory anytime I have a Modelo beer. I will miss all his wonderful, colorful stories and jokes.
With deepest condolences,
Jamie Kelly
Jerry Steiner
February 16, 2024
Sincerest condolences to family
It was a great pleasure, knowing him and being his friend
Love,
Jerry Steiner
Mike Pavlik
February 16, 2024
I just heard about Jim Phillips loss; he will be missed. I knew him from classes and the department at UIC, and bumped into him at the Field Museum and other spots over the years. our condolences
Alaka Wali
February 16, 2024
Dear Jim´s family, I send my deepest condolences for the loss. Jim was a great friend and advisor for me from my earliest times at the Field Museum and UIC. His wit and congeniality brightened many days. Alaka Wali
Donald Phillips
February 15, 2024
The love of friends and family carry you through your grief.
Randall Beider (Izzy)
February 15, 2024
I have known Jim (Jimbo) for over 70 years .He was simply the best. With all of our years as friends there was always his smile and laughter.Although short in stature he cast a giant shadow captivating all who met him.I and the rest of his old buddies will sorely miss him . May the Lord grant him eternal peace and may his memory be a blessing
Dean E. Arnold
February 15, 2024
Jim was always friendly and would sit down and talk with me when I dropped by his office. Once I ran into him at the New Orleans airport after a Society for American Archaeology meeting and again we went to a eating place for a drink or coffee and chatted. He was full of wonderful stories of his encounters with other archaeologists in the past (including those about my own PhD advisor, Don Lathrap, about which I had no awareness). I often wished that he would take the opportunity to write them down and publish them like other archaeologists have done. He was a great colleague, and I miss him.
Sheila Cawley
February 14, 2024
Jim was a true individual and will be missed by many. Including me.
Sheila Cawley
Rachel Sibio-Sanchez
February 13, 2024
The kindest of men, always a warm smile. Never too silly of a question. Always a Wonderful coworker. He will be deeply missed.
Showing 1 - 19 of 19 results
Make a Donation
in James Phillips's name
How to support James's loved ones
Honor a beloved veteran with a special tribute of ‘Taps’ at the National WWI Memorial in Washington, D.C.
The nightly ceremony in Washington, D.C. will be dedicated in honor of your loved one on the day of your choosing.
Read more
Should I Send Sympathy Flowers?
What kind of arrangement is appropriate, where should you send it, and when should you send an alternative?
Read more
What Should I Write in a Sympathy Card?
We'll help you find the right words to comfort your family member or loved one during this difficult time.
Read moreResources to help you cope with loss
Estate Settlement Guide
If you’re in charge of handling the affairs for a recently deceased loved one, this guide offers a helpful checklist.
Read more
Obituaries, grief & privacy: Legacy’s news editor on NPR podcast
Legacy's Linnea Crowther discusses how families talk about causes of death in the obituaries they write.
Read more
The Five Stages of Grief
They're not a map to follow, but simply a description of what people commonly feel.
Read moreWays to honor James Phillips's life and legacy
Obituary Examples
You may find these well-written obituary examples helpful as you write about your own family.
Read more
Obituary Templates – Customizable Examples and Samples
These free blank templates make writing an obituary faster and easier.
Read more
How Do I Write a Eulogy?
Some basic help and starters when you have to write a tribute to someone you love.
Read more
Sponsored