Pratt Phillips

MANSFIELD -- R. Pratt Phillips, 81, passed away Sunday, March 3, 2013. Service: 2 p.m. Wednesday in Blessing Colonial Chapel, Mansfield. Visitation: 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Blessing Funeral Home. Pratt was born June 1, 1931, in Iredell, the youngest son of Arthur Adam Phillips and Bettie Mae Pratt Phillips. He was the last surviving of seven siblings. In 1950, he married Barbara Bays and had two sons, Sherwin Pratt and Earnest Wayne Phillips. In 1961, he married Mary Lou Hicks Madden, who had three daughters, Deborah Louise, Gail Marie and Katherine Lynn, and they together had one son, John Wayne Phillips. He worked at Fort Worth Steel and Machinery from 1949 until 1968 when he and partner Roger Hicks started Conveying Machinery Inc., "CoMac," where he and Roger successfully ran the company until selling to Martin Sprocket and Gear in 1982. At this time he began a career and lifelong dream of raising registered Black Angus cattle. He also became heavily involved in team penning and cutting horses. His horse Sugar Olena won 1984 Reserve World Junior Cutting Championship. Pratt was well respected in the Mansfield community. He served on the board of directors for Mansfield State Bank, as well as serving on the Mansfield City Council and Chamber of Commerce. In 2010, he married Pat Isham Phillips whon he lived with until his battle with Alzheimer's ended on March 3, 2013. He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Albert "Buster" Asa Phillips, Howard Alvin Campbell, James Clifford Campbell and Carl Edds Campbell; his sisters, Lucille Helen Campbell Monger and Jessie Bell Campbell Martin; his wife, Barbara Bays Wilburn; wife, Mary Louise Hicks Phillips; and son, Earnest Wayne Phillips. Survivors: Wife, Pat Phillips; sons, Sherwin Phillips and wife, Phyllis, John Phillips and wife, Tracy; stepdaughters, Deborah Cromwell and husband, Frank, Gail Pike and husband, Larry, and Kathy Lovitto; grandchildren, Erica and husband, Michael, Richard and wife, Christl, Michelle, Matthew and wife, Stephanie, John, Trey, Jennifer, Alyson and husband, Dwayne, Shana and husband, Michael, Natalie and husband, Marc, Lauren and husand, Jeremy, and Leslie; 21 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.