John C. “Clate” Phillips, 86, formerly of Petersburg passed away on Saturday, March 29, 2014 at River Oaks Health Campus in Princeton.

He was born on August 17, 1927 in Gibson County, to Alexander and Margaret (Weist) Phillips.

He graduated from Mt. Olympus High School and served two years in the U.S. Navy. He worked for International Harvester and toiled several years in the oil fields.  He was hired at Indianapolis Power and Light in 1967 and was a foreman in the coal yard when he retired in 1986. He was a member of the Vincent Christian Church in Otwell.

Clate is survived by his two sons, John Steven Phillips of Jasper and Donald Clayton Phillips of Winslow; and two sisters, Marjorie Muncy and Shirley Welch both of Princeton.

He was preceded in death by his parents; wife of 53 years, Flo E. (Shawhan) Phillips; brothers, Harold, Henry and Elmer Phillips; and sisters, Evelyn McNeese and Virginia Rose Kirsch. 

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. (CST) Wednesday, April 2, 2014 at the Colvin Funeral Home in Princeton, officiated by Rev. John Manges. Burial will be at the Decker Cemetery, rural Patoka. 

Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. (CST) on Wednesday at Colvin Funeral Home.