Merle "Bubba" Phillips

Merle “Bubba” Phillips, age 75, of Siler City, NC, passed away on June 16, 2024. He passed peacefully with his family surrounding him at the UNC Hospice House in Pittsboro.

Bubba was born December 3, 1948, in Florence County, SC, to Juanita and George Phillips. He moved to the Phillips Family homeplace in Bear Creek, NC where he lived with his parents and sisters, graduating from Chatham Central High School in 1967. Some of his best early memories were spending time with his cousins in South Carolina, hunting and fishing. He married Patricia “Trish” McPherson a short time after high school graduation and soon after was drafted into the US Army and was deployed to Vietnam. He spent two years in the Army before returning to Siler City to make a home there, where he lived for the rest of his life.

Bubba worked for The Boling Company for over forty years, eventually retiring and working part time as an electrician for several more years. Bubba was an avid hunter and fisherman for his entire life. He was a volunteer for the National Wild Turkey Federation for many years. There was nothing he enjoyed more than teaching his children and grandchildren about wildlife and hunting and fishing with them. He probably spent more hours in the woods than in his house. When his grandchildren came along, they were the joy of his life. He never tired of playing with his grandkids, whether pulling them on sleds, pushing swings, swimming in the ocean, building snowmen or watching them at all sorts of sports events.

He was lifelong member of Piney Grove Methodist Church, considering his church family an extension of his own family. He enjoyed teaching Sunday School and loved singing in the choir. Every year while he was able, he hand-crafted items to sell at the annual church Harvest Sale. He rarely missed a church event and was always the first to offer a helping hand.

Bubba is survived by his wife of 56 years, Patricia, his daughter, Lori Shell (Gray) of Marvin, NC, son, Brent Phillips (Sharon) of Bear Creek, five grandchildren, Graham, Grace, and Noah Shell and Kallie and Kolton Phillips along with his sister Martha Harris (Lynn) of West End, NC and brother-in-law Jerry McPherson (Joyce). He also leaves behind many beloved cousins, nieces and nephews and many cherished hunting buddies and friends. He was predeceased by his parents, Juanita and George Phillips of Bear Creek, NC, his in-laws, Dave and Dot McPherson of Siler City, and three sisters, Annie Lee Scott, Annette Underwood, Georgia Phillips.

Bubba’s family will receive family and friends at Smith and Buckner Funeral Home in Siler City on Thursday June 20 from 6:00-8:00 P.M. The family will hold a memorial service, officiated by Rev. Herbert Lowry at Piney Grove Methodist Church at 2:00 on Friday June 21 with interment to follow immediately after in the church cemetery. There will be a reception in the church fellowship hall immediately following the memorial service. Please consider donations to Piney Grove Methodist Church Choir (PO Box 9, Siler City 27344) or the National Wild Turkey Federation (770 Augusta Rd, Edgefield, SC 29824 or your.nwtf.org, select legacy giving) in lieu of flowers.

Bubba’s family would like to express their heartfelt gratitude to the doctors and nurses at NC Neurosciences Hospital and SECU Jim and Betsy Bryan Hospice Home of UNC Health Care, who provided such wonderful care to Bubba in his last days.

Please share your thoughts and memories with the family at www.smithbucknerfh.com.