John C. Phillips

John C. Phillips left our world on December 20, 2024, and while we grieve his loss, we rejoice in the fact he's probably on his way to a cooking class somewhere in Italy right now. After all, death is really just nature's way of saying, 'Your table is ready now.'.
Born in Salem OH on October 22, 1953 to Mary Belle (Loudenslager) Allen and Loyal C.
Phillips, and preceded in death by Grandparents Merle and John Loudenslager and Mary and
John Phillips.
John grew up as the 'well-adjusted middle child' with older brother, Robert R. Howard (survived
by his daughter, Theresa (Howard) Pierce) teaching him about cars, sports, and other typical
older brother stuff, and younger sister, Leslie C. Phillips teaching him tolerance. John enjoyed a
very special relationship with his grandpa, John Loudenslager, a chef, who taught him to cook. A result of his cuisine creations was his famous "Heart-Attack Mac-n-Cheese."
Upon graduating from Salem High School, John headed to Kent State University, graduating in the class of '76 with a BBA in Accounting and becoming a CPA and a CMA. John had a brilliant financial mind, but his professional life reflected the richness and diversity that made him the special man he was. He made his marks at various businesses including Mastercard and Dannon International. Not content to lead teams focused on just Accounting, John worked with Human Resources, with Facility Management, and, in his last role as the VP of Finance & Administration at Notre Dame College, with Campus Security to implement a revolutionary and innovative community policing model.
But as committed as John was to his work, nothing stood in the way of his relationship with his children, Ryan and Rachael (married to Mikael Astier, and stepmother to Nora Astier Kent and Ethan Astier Kent). John was a 'girl dad' before that was a thing. He not only helped Rachael navigate any problem she had during her formative years, but also advised on important fashion decisions, like helping both her and her closest friends pick out their prom dresses. And one of John's most joyful moments was watching Ryan graduate from college. John and his late wife, Venice (Luther) Phillips (d. September 4, 2005) raised two wonderful humans of whom John could not have been prouder.
Then one day, the air smelled a little sweeter and the sun shone a little brighter, and John met his loving wife, Beth.
They married on September 27, 2014, and in Rachael's words, John 'came back to life'. His infectious laugh and his enjoyment of reading American history were both back, and he took great pleasure in simply sitting at the kitchen table having coffee with his wife and reading the Wall Street Journal. Their marriage also brought Richard Cocuzza, Beth's son, into John's life, thus giving John both a new friend, and a reason to be very excited to attend Delphos Saint John's high school baseball games.
The family resided in Delphos OH and had a contemplation of moving south for more temperate weather (no more snow) and to do the things they loved: being in nature, cooking, spending time with family and friends and traveling.
Beth survives to cherish the memory of John; a man who could spend hours in a store reading funny greeting cards, who loved to play tennis and dreamed of sailing big boats, who was a sucker for the movie Mary Poppins and who was the rock for his children and the love of Beth's life.
The family wishes you to cherish John's memory as well, so in lieu of sending flowers, spend time with those you love, remembering John and just maybe raising a vodka martini to toast a life well lived.
Death is more universal than life; everyone dies, but not everyone lives.
A Celebration of John's life will be held at the Weber Funeral Home, 1840 E. Fifth St., Delphos OH on Saturday, January 11, 2024 beginning with a special tribute to John beginning at 11am-12pm. Visitation will last until 1pm.
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