Life Story: Richard A. Phillips, 81; U.S. Navy Veteran, Past Chief Of Elizabeth Ave. VFD

Richard A. Phillips, of Somerset passed away April 20 at the Robert Wood Johnson Hospital in Somerville. He was 81.

Born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he lived in Pine Hill before moving to Somerset in 1964.

Richard served in the US Navy during the mid-1960s.

He worked as a Warehouse Supervisor for John Wiley & Sons Publishing in Somerset for over 30 years before retiring in 2000.

Richard was a Lifetime Member as well as past president and past chief of the Elizabeth Avenue Volunteer Fire Department in Somerset. He was also a member of the American Legion Post 363, South Bound Brook, and the Moose Lodge #988 Somerset/Bound Brook. In his spare time Richard enjoyed woodworking, fishing, rooting for the various Philadelphia sports teams and overall spending time with his family.

He was predeceased by his parents, Norman and Margaret (Hewitt) Phillips; and brother and sister-in-law, Raymond and Dorothy Phillips.

Surviving are his wife of 58 years, Ruth (Wohlfarth); son and daughter-in-law, Tim and Jeanette Phillips of Washington; daughter and son-in-law, Colleen and Michael Rossi of Somerset; brother and sister-in-law, Daniel and Bettie Hazzard of Delanco; grandchildren, Megan Gonzalez (husband, Jose) and Nick Rossi; and great-grandchild, Giovanni Gonzalez.

Visitation will be held from 3-7 p.m. April 23 at the Gleason Funeral Home, 1360 Hamilton Street, Somerset.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. April 24 at the Gleason Funeral Home with burial to follow in Hollywood Memorial Park, Union.

Donations in lieu of flowers can be made to the Middlebush Reformed Church, 1 South Middlebush Road, Somerset, New Jersey 08873.

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