Lifelong neighbour and close friend passes
Created: Nov 06, 2010 11:00 AM
Family history: Marva Phillips always figured shewould get diabetes because it runs in her family. Herfather and his siblings had it, most of her siblingsgot it and her two children Andrew and Vanessa nowhave it as well. She is pictured with her husband Lionel, who has been by her side through it all.
Lionel Granville Phillips was eulogised as a stalwart and faithful servant in the African Methodist Episcopal Church engaged on a multitude of levels.
His funeral lasting more than three hours was followed by a reception in the church hall. He was the fourth son in a family of 12 born to Inez and Richard Spurgeon Phillips, who themselves was pillars in the Somerset community.
While more extensive coverage of his outstanding career will appear later, we are obliged to state now he was a lifelong neighbour and close friend. With our similar sounding but differently spelt surnames, he a Phillips and 'I' a Philip, we had some jocular times explaining to others that we were just soul brothers from different clans.
