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Roger Van Dorn Phillips

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The Rev. Roger Van Dorn Phillips passed away peacefully with his family at his side on May 22nd following a brief illness from an aggressive Lymphoma at the age of 85.
Roger was born to Dr. Roger E. Phillips and Maud “Larrie” Larkin Phillips on October 8, 1937 in Philipsburg, PA. After graduating from Edgewater High School in 1955 and the University of Florida in 1959, he taught Social Studies at Colonial High School. Roger was commissioned a Naval officer in 1962, was captain of two LSTs in Vietnam, and left the Navy in 1971. He met his wife Rosemary singing in the Virginia Beach Civic Chorus in 1970, a hobby they both enjoyed up until October 2022. After returning to Orlando, Roger became a Certified Property Manager and in 1984 he and Rosemary formed Attwood-Phillips, Inc., which they owned until retirement in 2007. They bought a lake home on Big Birch Lake in Minnesota in 1989 where they would eventually spend six months of the year. Roger was ordained a priest in the Episcopal Church in Minnesota in 2004 and served at The Episcopal Church of the Good Samaritan while at the lake and supplied at various parishes in the Diocese of Central Florida during the winter months.
Roger is survived by his loving wife Rosemary Burger Phillips, his sister Amy Phillips Grant; son Michael Ford (Melissa); daughters Kelly Best (Joe) and Lisa Eberlein; grandchildren Kinsley, Carson and Brynna Ford; Sean (Victoria) and Kevin (Jessica) Best; Ford (Abby) and Stella Eberlein; Will (Carissa) Simmons; William Simmons; and Seth (Rachel) Simmons; great grandchildren Ash and Ian Best, as well as many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; daughter Marian Phillips Simmons; son-in-law Martin Bradford Cox; grandson Nolan Patrick Best; granddaughter Brielle Caroline Ford; sister-in-law Sandra Burger; brother-in-law Richard Grant; brother-in-law John Burger; and nephew-in-law Daniel Burger.
A memorial service will take place at The Episcopal Church of the Good Samaritan, 529 Mains Street South in Sauk Centre, MN on Saturday, July 29th at 11 am. Memorial contributions may be made to The Episcopal Church of the Good Samaritan or to the Big Birch Lake Association.