Robert Lee Phillips

April 13, 1947 – March 5, 2025

77 years young

Robert (affectionately known to his friends and family by his self chosen nickname – Bob) – a long time St Louis resident – finished his earthly journey on Wednesday March 5, 2025 at the Life Care Center of St Louis.

Missing him already in his birth family are his sister, Marie Hoffmann, (Gerry), nephew, Erik Hoffmann (Jessica) and the late Chuck Hoffmann (Ginger), great niece and nephew, cousins Bruce Phillips (Wendy) and Sharon Szymanski (Bill); and in his chosen family: his life long love, the late Grace Phillips and her family: her daughters Josie (Bart) Zuckerman, Sharon (Buck) Caldwell, her grandchildren, Sam Caldwell, Miranda and Chelsea Zuckerman, her siblings Mary Jo, Johnny, Petrina, Joe, Gerry, Michael and the late Tommy, her nieces Michele and Dawn as well as friends and neighbors at Maryville Gardens.

Bob was a smart, stubborn, messy, sometimes obstinate, often funny (and a bit flirtatious) man, generous to a fault. He was a man who walked his own path, not caring what others might think, a man who enjoyed earthly pleasures (sometimes a bit too much!) and a man who cared deeply about his chosen companions.

As a young child he was outgoing, blonde and lovable – at least until his little sister Marie came along 18 months later when he became more introspective. As his skinny body grew, so did his intellect – fed by his love of reading and desire for knowledge. In grade school one summer, he read through every volume of the World Book Encyclopedia – from A to Z. Science was his focus – as shown when he made the family proud by building a Van der Graaf Generator for the elementary school science fair.

As he walked home from elementary school in Burke City, near Ferguson, he would stop at the ‘Book Mobile’ – which was a portable library – to gather yet another batch of books to read. Some summer days, when he was home, he would take his little green turtle, Elmer, for a walk outside in the grass, and in the winter watch the family’s midnight black cat dance through the snow drifts outside. In all seasons, he traveled with the family to his Grandparent’s farm near Marceline, Missouri where he hunted squirrels and frogs with cousin Bruce and learned about farm life from Grandpa.

As he started high school (in the old McCluer high school by Florissant road and I 270 Go Comets!), he made up his mind to be more social and joined the track team and tried to build strength weight lifting in the basement…

After his sophomore year there, the family moved to Scottsdale, AZ where he attended Coronado High School, from which he graduated with honors. During his stay at Coronado he decided he’d like to be in the band, even though he had never studied any instrument. So, he looked around to see what the band lacked and tackled learning the Sousaphone which he then played in the band for 2 years, proudly wearing the red band uniform to games and in parades.

After he graduated from Coronado, the family moved back to the St Louis area and he attended a year at the University of Missouri in Columbia, but soon decided to transfer back to the the state he had come to love – to Arizona State University in Mesa, where he studied biochemistry and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree.

After graduation, he was drafted into the Army during the Vietnam War era, and was lucky enough to serve domestically in Hawaii, where he pursued his masters degree and in the eastern US mainland where he worked towards a doctorate in Biochemistry. During his service, he was beaten up by fellow soldiers on base and lost hearing in one ear, but he also met his wife (also serving in the Army). They married and traveled together to various foreign countries before divorcing in the late 1970s.

Following his divorce he moved back home to Florissant, where his parents, Harol and Georgia then lived. He began work at St Louis University and spent the next 12 years there as a research assistant to a physician who became a good friend. During this time, he met the love of his life, Grace, who just happened to have the same last name as he did. He became a large part of her life and of her family during the many years that followed, loving her, her daughters – Josie and Sharon – as well as Grace’s siblings, nieces and nephews in the Monti clan. The family continued to care for and console him following Grace’s untimely death.

After Bob’s dad, Harol Phillips, died of colon cancer at 65 years old in 1983, Bob stayed with his Mom, Georgia Phillips (nee Feuz), and helped care for the house and for her and his much loved Aunt Marjorie Feuz. He continued living in Florissant after Georgia and Marjorie passed in the late 1990’s, then moved to St Louis City to Maryville Gardens in 2013 where he lived until his passing, enjoying his home gardens (as well as the VAL community garden and the Missouri Botanical garden), his library, his squirrels and the companionship of his chosen family and his neighbors

A Memorial Celebration of his Life will be held on: 

Saturday April 19 from 11 am to 2 pm

in the Chapel at

St. Louis Cremation, 2135 Chouteau Ave., St. Louis, MO 63103 

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Bob’s memory to the following organizations. When making a gift, please include “In memory of Robert L. Phillips” in the memo line or gift details section.

Bob loved to garden, at his home for his Mom, at his apartment and at the Garden Grace started (VALCommunity Garden) and he loved to go to the Missouri Botanical Garden and often took his Mom and beloved Aunt Marjorie.

Missouri Botanical Garden  Select “Make a Tribute Gift” fill in the amount and select “in Memory of” and fill in his name

VAL Community Garden  In the ‘Notes” section if you wish you can write that this donation is in memory of Robert (Bob) Phillips

We lost his nephew Charles Alexander Hoffmann, just barely 44 years old, in June 2022 to septic shock and have been donating to the awareness raising efforts of the below organization:

The Sepsis Alliance 

or to the cause of your choice.