Larry Wayne Phillips Sr. 12/18/1943-04/12/2025
Larry Wayne Phillips Sr. passed away on April the 12th, 2025, at his home in Maryville, TN, surrounded by family and friends.
Larry was born at his family home in Medora, Indiana on December the 18th, 1943 to his parents Murrell Elvis Phillips, a skilled brickmaker at the historic Medora Brick Plant, and Lillie Mae Durham, a prolific homesteader. He was the ninth to be born of 12 siblings: Fergus Phillips, Maxine Reed, Betty Milligan, Dean Phillips, Joan Burgan, Rex Phillips, Sue Dixon, Faye Sowers, Travis Phillips, Randall Phillips, and Wanda Brock.
Larry was first employed at the age of 14 by his brother Dean as an auto mechanic at Phillips Service Station. After graduating high school, he enlisted in the Airforce as a F105 Aircraft maintenance mechanic. He was first stationed in California, then Brookly Airfield in Mobile, AL where he met his former wife JoAn. Before taking honorable leave from the service in 1965, he also traveled to the Azores, Spain, and Bitburg Germany. After the Airforce, he joined Scott Paper Company (later to become Kimberly-Clark) as a pulp mill laborer and worked his way up to supervisor before retiring in 1999. After retirement, he and his wife Ann and their daughter Missy bought their dream home together here in Maryville, TN, in the foothills surrounding the Great Smokey Mountains National Park.
In his retirement, he was a member of First Christian Church, and was an avid gardener, tinkerer, road-trip planner, and caretaker of many in our community.
He was preceded in death by his parents Murrell and Lillie; siblings Fergus, Maxine, Betty, Dean, Faye, and Travis; and his children Joeseph Lamar Graydon Jr, Larry Wayne Phillips Jr, and Michelle Elise Keltner.
He is survived by his wife Ann Kilborn Phillips; previous spouse JoAn Phillips, siblings Joan, Rex, Sue, Randy, and Wanda; daughter Kay “Missy” Graydon; daughter-in-law Gina Graydon grandchildren TJ Gibson, Carlos Gibson, Joseph Micheal Graydon, Olivia Nicole Keltner, and Libritney Overton; great-grandson Cameron Stevens; close friend Debbie Schumate, and grand-dog Justice—along with numerous nieces, nephews, friends and neighbors.
The family will receive friends at Blount Funeral and Cremation, 2730 US-411, Maryville, TN 37801, on Thursday April 17th from 5-7 p.m. Friends and family will gather at Grandview Cemetery Pavillion on Friday April 18th at 11 a.m. for a graveside service.
