James Harvey Phillips

January 7, 1948 - December 24, 2020

James Harvey Phillips, 72, went home Christmas Eve, 2020, to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He was born January 7, 1948 and was the son of the late Thomas Harvey, Clara Mildred Whited-Phillips, and Sybil Hill-Phillips. Jim was also preceded in death by his niece, Shannon Click, and goddaughter, Kara Saylor. “Jimmie,” as he was known to many family members, is survived by his wife of 50 years, Judy; daughter, Christi Phillips and her boyfriend, Charles; granddaughters, Savannah Pickens, Melanie Pickens and her boyfriend, Brian, and granddaughter Vanessa Pickens and her boyfriend, Dyllan; godson, Elijah Saylor; sister, Rhonda Click and her husband, Oscar; brothers, Maxell Hill and his wife, Carolyn, Bill Hill and his wife, Pam; several nieces and nephews, cousins upon cousins, even “7th cousins twice removed,” as he would say, just so you could understand how far back you were related to him. He dearly loved his family research and was a proud member of the Roane County Historical Genealogy Society. Jim was called to preach at the young age of 16 and was one of the former presidents of the West Virginia Gospel Tabernacle Association. He married his sweetheart, Judy Hunt, October 3, 1970, and they served at many churches over the past 50+ years. These include the Gospel Tabernacle churches of Mary Virginia, Woodland, Spradling, Old Faith, and Roxalana. They also served at West Dunbar Community Church, Sugar Creek Community Mission, Fisher Memorial, Dunbar Mountain Mission and Bethel Church. Pastor Phillips loved to incorporate the dictionary into his sermons just to help those under his voice better understand and make the connections to the passage of scripture. Jim touched many people in his life, young and old. He was retired from the West Virginia Department of Corrections as a Probation and Parole Officer and Director of Research for 33 ½ years. Helping his parolees and mentoring them led to his calling to be an Anti-Alcohol and Drug speaker in the late 80’s and early 90’s. Many of his parolees would give their story on film (that Jim recorded himself) right from the prison cell, in hopes that they could reach others and speak to their hearts to help steer them away from these two life-changing addictions. There is so much more in Jim’s hyphen that lies between his birth and death dates, that we could never put it all on paper. He touched more people than we could ever count. He would want you to celebrate his life and sing with him, “It Is Well With My Soul!” A very special “thank you” goes to lifelong friends, Johnny and Judy Fling, the Kanawha County EMT’s and Deputy Angelica Miller for their instant support during the moments Jim was entering Heaven’s Gate; to Judy’s sister and brother-in-law, Pat and Tommy Sword and sister, Dewana McAfee for coming at a moment’s notice from Florida, and to the Dunbar Mountain Mission for the use of their virtual service capabilities. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, there will be no public service, but a live virtual service for those wanting to view Jim’s homegoing will be broadcast via Youtube and Facbook Live on Wednesday, December 30, 2020 at 12:00 P.M. A Youtube/Facebook search for Dunbar Mountain Mission Church will link to the channel for the virtual service with Pastors Dave Bailey and Wesley Westfall, officiating. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Dunbar Ministerial Association, Evangelistic Outreach or Child Evangelism, mailed to the C/O Dunbar Mountain Mission 605 Dunbar Avenue, Dunbar, WV 25064. Cunningham Parker & Johnson Funeral Home is assisting the family with cremation arrangements and online condolences may be posted on their website at www.cpjfunerahome.com. Thank you, Rusty, for your assistance there at the funeral home.