Tom Phillips

Thomas George Phillips, son of Chleo and Leota (Knapp) Phillips was born July 4, 1938, at Stotesbury, Missouri, and entered eternal rest on May 29, 2018, at the age of 79 years, 10 month, 25 days. While living in Stotesbury, he contracted polio, suffered paralysis, and was hospitalized at St. Luke’s in Kansas City. In 1946, the family moved to a farm north of Prescott, Iowa. He attended Prescott schools, graduating with the class of 1957. Upon graduation, he farmed with his father.
On September 18, 1960, he married Rosalie Kay McMorran at the Prescott Methodist Church. Their first year of married life was spent in Creston where Tom worked for Mercer Conoco. In November 1961, they moved to Prescott and Tom went to work for Sickler Miller Chevrolet as a mechanic in Corning. In 1970, the family moved to Corning where he continued his employment when the company became Miller Chevrolet. When he left Miller Chevrolet in July 1989, he was the General Manager. Tom then became the General Manager of the Farm Service Coop retiring in July of 2000.
In younger years, Tom was an avid fisherman, hunter and trapper. His superb mechanical ability led him to be a very successful member of the Southwest Iowa Tractor Pullers Association in the ‘80’s and ‘90’s. In his retirement, Tom restored 25 IH tractors to their former glory. He was sought after to restore antique automobiles and provided a wealth of knowledge that was tapped into by many. Never one to be idle, Tom started a successful snow plow business that served Corning and the surrounding areas.
Tom was a member of the Kline Museum Board in Prescott and a member of the Corning United Methodist Church. The greatest joy of Tom’s life was his family, teaching grandchildren about times past and the value of hard work.
Tom will be greatly missed by his wife of 57 years, Rosalie; daughters, Teresa Miller and Linda (Brad) Steffens; grandchildren, Jaclyn Miller, Elizabeth and Thomas Steffens; step-grandchildren, Megan (Andy) Miller-Barber, Theo and Lucy; sister, Helen Kay (Dennis) Zimmerman; sister-in-law, Pam (Frank) Wetzstein, and many other relatives and friends.
Tom was preceded in death by his parents; sister Lula Belle (in infancy); son-in-law, Matt Miller; mother-in-law and father-in-law, Harry (Dive) and Geraldine McMorran.