Carl William Phillips

Carl William Phillips, Jr., 84, passed away peacefully in his sleep on September 14, 2026, at The Orchards in Armada, Michigan. Carl was born on October 20, 1941, in Kalkaska, Michigan to the late Myrtle (Murphy) and Carl William Phillips, Sr. The family moved to Marine City, Michigan, before Carl started kindergarten so his mother could be closer to family who lived across the border in Canada. When brothers Wayne and Mike arrived in 1949 and 1951, Carl helped take care of them while their parents worked. Carl attended Marine City High School where he played trombone in the marching band and was on the tennis team. He graduated in 1959 and then enrolled in the Port Huron Junior College where he also played tennis. He earned his Associate in Arts degree then transferred to Michigan State University (Go Green! Go White!). It was there that Carl decided to pursue his teaching certificate. He finished his student teaching and earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in history from MSU in December 1963. In January 1964 Carl started teaching 7th and 8th grade English and history in Richmond, Michigan, with Ruby Quick as his mentor. He later transitioned to teaching a freshman course in Michigan history and geography at Richmond High School. He made many life-long friends through the school over the years. Carl married Judy (Wagner) on June 20, 1964, at St. Martin’s Lutheran Church in Marine City, Michigan, and they settled in Richmond. The two had first met in 8th grade in Marine City before Judy moved to Cadillac, Michigan, with her family. They re-connected at Michigan State and the rest, as they say, is history. (Get it? He taught history!) During the marriage they had three children, Amy René (1966), Darren Carl (1968) and Brent William (1971). While working as a high school teacher, Carl also taught drivers education and coached a variety of teams. He started with the 7th and 8th grade boys basketball team, then started and coached a tennis team at the high school. Next came high school boys JV then girls varsity basketball. He started a bowling team and helped bring back the high school golf team (whose members at one time included sons Darren and Brent and nephew Shaun Phillips). In October of this year, he will be inducted into the Richmond Community Schools Athletic Hall of Fame in the Coach category, an honor that recognizes his outstanding achievements and lasting contributions to Richmond Schools. Carl enjoyed teaching and coaching, but his real passion throughout his life was playing golf. He was a competitive player and ran several golf leagues in the Richmond area. His dream was to live on a golf course, and he did just that when he and Judy bought a winter home in Florida after they retired. Over his life Carl scored five – yes, 5 – holes in one! Carl and Judy loved traveling. Family trips took them to many states (including a 5-week trip “out west”), and after retiring in 1997, they accomplished their goal of visiting all 50. They also traveled internationally with friends to Australia, New Zealand and Morocco, as well as many European countries. They even went on an African safari in Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park! Carl’s favorite trip was one which took them to northern Europe and then Russia. Imagine how cool it was for Carl to visit so many places he had taught about! Carl had was a hard worker with a strong work ethic. He was a kind and thoughtful husband willing to help around the house, which sometimes included using duct tape as a fix-all. As a father, he was firm but fair, showing his children the value of discipline, integrity and respect. He took time to have fun with them, playing games and building snow slides in the winter. Friends and family alike would agree that Carl approached life in a structured way with a good sense of humor. They would recognize that he had a regular speaking voice, a teacher voice, and a coach voice which sometimes got him in trouble with basketball referees. Carl attended Trinity Lutheran Church where he served on the church council, ushered, and read scripture lessons. The Church partnered with the MCREST program once a year, and Carl was Trinity’s point person, arranging meals and transportation for homeless men who needed a place to stay while they looked for jobs. He and Judy also went on a mission trip to Haiti. Preceding Carl in death were his parents Myrtle and Carl Phillips, Sr.; son Darren Phillips; and brother Michael Phillips. Carl is survived by his wife Judy; daughter Amy (Michael) Ooten, son Brent Phillips (Kelly Zidar); brother and sister-in-law Wayne and Georgia Phillips; sister-in-law Michelle Phillips; brother-in-law Jim (Sharon) Wagner; sister-in-law Andrea (Bob) Adams; step-grandchildren Danielle (Chuck) Milliken, Michael “Bub” Ooten, and Dione Ooten; great grandchildren Charlie and Rory Milliken; and several nephews and nieces, including Goddaughter Erin (Phillips) Clemente.

Visitation will be held Friday, September 25, 2026, from 3:00-8:00 p.m. at Peshek Family Funeral Home, 68655 Stoecker Lane, Richmond, Michigan. Visitation on Saturday, September 26 will be from 10:30-11:30 a.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church, 35110 Division Road, Richmond, Michigan with the funeral following at 11:30 a.m. officiated by Pastor Charlie Martin.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Trinity Lutheran Church or the Richmond High School Athletic Department (35276 Division Road, Richmond, MI 48962).