Bobby Phillips

Bobby Joe Phillips -- March 26, 1929 to April 19, 2020

Bobby Joe passed away peacefully of natural causes on Sunday, April 19, 2020, with his family by his side.

Bobby Joe was born three days after the great flood of the Emory River in Oakdale, Tennessee, to the late Artas Phillips.  He was raised in Oakdale, Tennessee by his loving grandmother, Mary Belle Phillips.

Bobby Joe was preceded in death by his wife Lodean (Shankle) Phillips, his half-brothers Walter and John Headden, and his son Bobby Butler.

He is survived by his half-brother L. G. Headden (Mildred) of Wartburg, TN; sister-in-law Sarah Kee of McKenzie, TN; son Mike Butler (Sharla) of Odessa, TX; daughter Jolene Hatler (Loren) of Los Alamos, NM; and an extended family of nieces, nephews, and cousins.

He is also survived by his grandchildren Stacey Lacey of Murrells Inlet, SC; Reed Butler,  Shane Butler and Melissa Butler all of Paris, TN; Jill Frie (Joe) of San Diego, CA; and Samantha Torres of Los Alamos, NM.  His great grandchildren include Taylor Baxter, Murrells Inlet, SC; Alicia Bratschi, Kiara McDougal, Meliana Belong and Alleigh Butler all of Paris, TN; Abby Butler of Camden, TN; Owen and Paxton Frie of San Diego, CA.

Bobby Joe grew up in a time and place where trains were king and kids were kids.  As a child, he worked at the Babahatchie Inn (YMCA) providing clean towels and linens for the railroad workers that rented rooms.  He enjoyed talking about the turntable where the trains turned around and about hopping trains bound for Chattanooga, Tennessee.  While in Chattanooga, Bobby Joe used his skill at playing pool to earn spending money, enjoyed the chili at his favorite greasy spoon and then hopping a train back to Oakdale.  With a little smile and laugh, he spoke fondly about being about twelve years old and delivering groceries on his bicycle.  One afternoon he was riding too close to the train tracks, was hit by the train and thrown off his bicycle.  Although not physically hurt, said he was a bit “shook up” as he walked his broken bicycle back home.

Bobby Joe was very proud of the fact that as a kindergarten student he sang for President Roosevelt during Roosevelt’s Whistle Stop in Oakdale.  He spoke lovingly and often of his early years growing up with his uncles in his grandmother’s house and learning life through laughter and hard knocks.

He met Lodean Shankle while working at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.  Bobby Joe and Lodean were married in July 1957 and had the fortunate opportunity to visit Havana, Cuba for a quick honeymoon.  Together they raised her two boys, Mike and Bobby Butler, whom he loved as his own.  Their daughter Jolene was born a few years later, and their world changed forever.  The family relocated to Los Alamos, New Mexico, in 1965, when he began working for Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory as a materials technician and worked for the next 26 years.  Bobby Joe loved his work, enjoyed the people he worked with, and told many stories from his days working at DP Site and TA-55.

Bobby Joe and Lodean became members of the First United Methodist Church in Los Alamos, NM and they were both active within the church community.  Bobby Joe could be found most Sundays waiting at the church doors to welcome those arriving for services.  He enjoyed the opportunity to give a smile and good morning until his health didn’t allow for him to stand without assistance.

Bobby Joe retired in 1991, and he took great pride in helping Lodean take care of their granddaughter Samantha.  He and their dog Birdie would sit outside on the porch and watch the world slowly go by.  After Lodean’s death in 1995, Bobby Joe spent his time attending Samantha’s school and sports activities and taking wonderful road trips back to Tennessee.  Bobby Joe didn’t like to fly, so he would load the family up in the car for the long trips with Vienna sausage, saltine crackers and Ritz crackers with peanut butter.  Any roadside trading post, glassware factory or interesting attraction were always on the itinerary as were frequent stops to visit family.  On one road trip to a high school class reunion with Samantha and Jolene, they stopped at every Cracker Barrel between New Mexico and East Tennessee, several were visited more than once.  Easy access from the interstate, great chicken and dumplings, and the ability to exchange the radio show audio cassette tapes from the previous restaurant made Cracker Barrel the perfect pit stop.

Bobby Joe loved to laugh, loved his family and was passionate about his beloved Tennessee Volunteers and Dallas Cowboys.  He was an avid sports fan and enjoyed talking with others about sporting events and yelling at the TV when things weren’t going his way.  He completed the crossword puzzles in the newspapers daily, and he was always up for a good jigsaw puzzle.  His love of “crispy” bacon, fried bologna, fried fish with tartar sauce, green chili double cheese burgers (with one patty removed because one patty was perfect, but two patties were too much), and French fries were legendary.  His affectionate use of “shug” for any female he spoke to and his ability to crack a joke at the most inappropriate time will always bring a smile and a laugh.

Those who knew and loved Bobby Joe will hold dear in their memory his spirit filled blue eyes, Southern drawl, and infectious laugh.

The family would like to thank the loving staff at Aspen Ridge Lodge Assisted Living with a special thank you to the care assistants and nurses for their care and compassion which allowed Bobby Joe to retain his dignity and smile during his time there, Los Alamos Visiting Nurses for their wonderful hospice care, and Shirley Trujillo for her friendship and compassionate, knowledgeable private care during his last few months.

Bobby Joe will be cremated and his ashes placed with Lodean in Seminary Cemetery in Pillowville, Tennessee.  A graveside service will be held in Tennessee at a later date.