Charles Eugene (Gene) Phillips, 77, died on November 7, 2019. 

A memorial service was held at First Baptist Church Madison. Gene was born November 20, 1941 in the Crooked Creek Community of New Hebron, MS in his grandparents' home. 

He lived most of his life in Jackson, where he attended Hardy Jr. High, and then Provine High School. At Provine, Gene was elected Student Body President and "Mr. Provine" in 1959. Gene attended Millsaps College, where he was a member of Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity, and was elected Treasurer. He worked part-time at Owen's Ltd. for one year. After that, he went to work for Person's Dad & Lad store in Westland Plaza, got married in 1962, transferred to Mississippi College his senior year. , and graduated in 1963 with a degree in English. 

He went to McRae's in 1965 and worked there as a salesman at Westland Plaza; Buyer-Boyswear; Store Manager in Meridian, 1972-1975; Divisional Merchandise Manager-Men's & Boys; Regional Vice President over Jackson and several other stores, and finally as the Vice President, General Merchandise Manager over Men's, Boys and Home Furnishings. Gene left McRae's in 1990 after 25 years and went into real estate with CENTURY 21, was President of the Jackson Association of Realtors in 2002, and retired in 2010 from CENTURY 21 Maselle and Associates. 



Gene is preceded in death by his father, Charlie Hansford Phillips and his mother, Charlene Cliburn Phillips. 

Gene is survived by his wife of 56 years, Barbara (Henderson) Phillips, daughter Debbie Zuluaga (Felipe), their children, Anabelle and Max; daughter Pam Galatas (Mike), and their children, Sawyer and Georgia, all of Madison, MS. Gene's brother, Benny (Pat), lives in Albuquerque, NM. Gene's sister, Brenda MacGibbon (Richard) lives in Lake Havasu, AZ.