Charles Lewis "Chick" Phillips

Charles Lewis “Chick” Phillips, our loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend, passed quietly from this life and returned to his Great Heavenly Father on the morning of May 2, 2025, at age 90. There he was greeted with joy by a host of loved ones, including his parents, his beloved daughter Cali Grimshaw, grandson Tyler, great-granddaughter Claire, great-great-grandson Wesley, and his sister Melba Davis.

Chick was born on August 9, 1934, in Salt Lake City, Utah to Charles Leo Phillips and Dora Jane Tucker Phillips, the third of five children and the only boy. He was raised during the era of the Great Depression and World War II, and he fondly recalled selling newspapers on the street corners of Salt Lake City to help his family of modest means. In 1954, Chick joined the US navy and was stationed for training in San Francisco, California. During that time, he became engaged to his life-long partner and sweetheart, Mary Sharon “Sherry” Seegmiller, also of Salt Lake City. They were married on June 1, 1955, in the Salt Lake Temple. They were preparing to celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary at the time of his passing.

Chick served for four years in the US Navy, including a tour at sea during the Korean War and several years stationed at Monterey, California. After being honorably discharged, Chick and Sherry returned to Salt Lake City with their first child, daughter Cali, who had been born in California. Chick took his first job after leaving the Navy with Sperry Utah Engineering Laboratory as an Electrical Technician at a whopping salary of $1.96 per hour. He used his new-found wealth to support the arrival of three more children and eventually build a home on Mill Street in Bountiful, Utah.

In 1965, Chick moved his young family to Portland, Oregon where, within a few years, he and Sherry welcomed two more children. There they spent the next 30 years raising their children and living remarkable lives of work, love, and service; making life-long friends and having an immeasurable impact on everyone around them. Chick and Sherry returned to live in the Salt Lake City area in 1995 and eventually retired, enjoying the past many years with their ever-growing posterity.

Chick was a true disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ and served faithfully as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in a wide range of callings, never wavering. He was a Stake Missionary, Young Men’s President, Bishop, High Councilor, Stake President, and finally a Patriarch. His most sacred calling in life, however, was Husband and Father, which he fulfilled each day of his life with a sense of duty, diligence, love, kindness, and a charming humor that we will all miss deeply. All who had the honor of knowing Chick during his long life recognized him as one of the kindest and most gentle souls they have ever known.

Chick is survived by his wife Sherry, daughter Tauni Hill (Steve), sons Matt (Lisa), Michael (Becky), and Tyler (Sherie), daughter Holly Kerr (Rand), son-in-law Peter Grimshaw, sisters Nadine Weiler, Carole Facer, Sherry Pearson, 21 grandchildren, 43 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild.

We wish to thank the staff of Creekside Assisted Living in Bountiful, Utah and Ovation Hospice for the kind and tender care they provided Chick in the last few months.

Services will be held at Russon Mortuary in Farmington, Utah on Saturday, May 10th, with a viewing at 10:00 AM and the funeral service at 11:00 AM. An online guestbook is available at www.russonmortuary.com.

Services will be streamed live on the Russon Mortuary Live Facebook page and on this obituary page. The live stream will begin 10-15 minutes prior to services and will be posted below.

To honor Chick’s memory, forgive someone who has wronged you, perform an anonymous act of kindness for a neighbor or stranger, or return a lost dog to its owner.

May God be as good to Chick Phillips as if Chick Phillips were God, and God were Chick Phillips.