John Phillips

John W. Phillips, 82, of Geneseo, went to be with his Lord and Savior on Monday, December 13, 2021, from Allure of Moline, East Moline, IL.  Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m on Monday, December 20th at the First Lutheran Church, Geneseo, IL.  Rev. Laura Kamprath will officiate.  Burial will be in Rosedale Cemetery, Cambridge.  Visitation will be from 3 to 5 p.m. on Sunday at the church.  Memorials may be made to First Lutheran Church, Geneseo, or Quad Cities Emmaus.  Stackhouse-Moore Funeral & Cremation Services is assisting the family with arrangements.

John William Phillips was born February 5, 1939, in Moline, IL the son of Kenneth L. and Rosemary J. (Anderson) Phillips.  He graduated from Cambridge High School in 1957.  He received his BA from Monmouth College in 1961 in education where he lettered 3 years in football and wrestling and 1 year in track.  In his senior year, he served as co-captain of the football team.  He earned 3rd place in the 191 lb. class (light/heavyweight) in wrestling and also earned 3rd place in the conference for javelin throw.  He also was a member of Eta Sigma Phi (honorary Classical language society).  He earned his MS in education from Eastern Illinois University, Charleston in 1972.  He had also done advanced graduate work at Northern Illinois University and Western Illinois University.  On August 13, 1961, he married Ruth Ann Peterson, his “captain” in Aledo, IL.  She died on March 15, 2010.

John began his teaching career in 1961 at Harlem School System in Loves Park, IL.  From 1966 to 1969 he taught at Mattoon High School, from 1970-1981 at Atkinson High School, and from 1981 to 1993 at Erie High School.   He retired from teaching on June 4, 1993.  Throughout his teaching career, he also had coached wrestling, football, and track.

John was a member of First Lutheran Church, Geneseo where he was a member of the choir, did volunteer work, and was a contemporary worship leader.  John was also active in the Quad City Emmaus Community having served on the board and as lay director of walk #59.  John had also been instrumental in instituting Jam for the Lamb at Cambridge Lutheran Church for several years.  John enjoyed lay speaking at area churches, fishing, boating, hunting, shooting, reading, and music.  He especially enjoyed drinking coffee with friends at The Country Store, dining with his buddy Bob Lopez and meeting with his Emmaus accountability group.

Survivors include his son, Kenneth (Jennifer) Phillips, Peru, IL; daughters, Rae Lynn (Mark) Jackson, Peosta, IA, and Cathy Jo (Ron) Zahari, Port Barrington, IL; grandchildren, Anna Noble, Amber (John) Brown, Alyssa (Miles) Bishop, Rachel (Royce) Kies, Nicole Jackson, Ryan Zahari, and Sean Zahari; and great-grandchildren, Tyrene, Maxwell, Johnnie, Daniel, Henry, Evelynn, and Asher. He was preceded in death by his parents and his wife, Ruth Ann.