Phillip Gavin Pitts

Phillip Gavin Pitts, age 71, of Crestview, Florida, passed away peacefully on February 23, 2026.

A proud graduate of the University of Mississippi, Phillip earned his law degree and remained a lifelong supporter of Ole Miss football. During his years at Ole Miss, he was a member of Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity, forming friendships and loyalties that lasted decades.

Phillip's professional life reflected both discipline and drive. He served as a police officer in Memphis before establishing his own law practice in Mississippi. He later began his career in insurance as a life insurance trainer with Southern Farm Bureau Life and went on to build a long and memorable sales career with Florida Farm Bureau Insurance. Known for creative solutions and decisive leadership, he was the manager people called when situations became difficult. Sales meetings were famously brought to order with a giant dog bone in hand, and on the golf course he was known to keep a machete in his bag - never hesitant to hack through weeds to recover a lost ball. He approached both business and life with boldness, humor, and a larger-than-life presence.

Those who knew Phillip during the vibrant seasons of his life are invited to remember and share the stories that made him unforgettable - the laughter, the bold ideas, and the energy that defined him at his best.

Phillip was preceded in death by his father, Gavin; his mother, Clara Mae; his sisters, Susan and Mary; and his niece, Angela.

Phillip is survived by his wife, Gwendolyn; his son, Phillip Gavin Pitts II; his brother, Ron (Karen); his nephews, Jeff Pitts (Amy) and Chris Pitts (Karelia), and Ryan Wollgast; and his great-nieces and nephews, Addison, Kensley, Hunter, and Karson. He is also survived by his former wife, Carolyn Sue, and her sons, Rodney Posey and Tim Posey.