Dallas Phillips

Dallas Phillips, 85, entered into eternal rest at his home in Fayette, Mo., on Dec. 30, 2025, surrounded by the love and warmth of his family after a lengthy battle with cancer.

Visitation will be at Friemonth-Freese Funeral Home in Fayette on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. A Celebration of Life will follow from 1:30 p.m. until 4:00 p.m., at Country Club Bar & Grill in Fayette. His ashes will be interred in Walnut Hill Cemetery, Armstrong, Mo., at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to Log Chapel Cemetery or Walnut Hill Cemetery, c/o Friemonth-Freese Funeral Home.

William Dallas Phillips was born Oct. 27, 1940, in Fayette, Mo., the only child of William Homer and Maggie Evelyn (Tucker) Phillips. While his father was serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II, he and his mother made their home with relatives in Kansas City, Kansas. Upon his father’s completion of his military service in 1946, the family came back to Howard County, where they resided on a farm near Armstrong. They subsequently moved to Fayette in the early 1950s, but Dallas continued his education in the Armstrong Public School, graduating with the Class of 1958. He attended college at Northeast Missouri State University (now Truman State) in Kirksville and Central Methodist University in Fayette.

In 1962, Dallas began his career with State Farm Insurance at the Missouri Regional Office in Columbia, and he worked there until he was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1964. He completed his basic training at Ft. Leonard Wood and was then stationed at Ft. Bragg in Fayetteville, N.C. Following his honorable discharge in 1966, Dallas returned to his employment with State Farm, where he worked for the next 33 years until his retirement in 1999. 
Dallas married Carolyn Sue “Susie” Shiflett at the Armstrong Methodist Church on Feb. 24, 1967. In 1973, he was promoted to Field Underwriter with State Farm, so the couple, along with their three young children, moved from Fayette to Manchester, Mo. During his career, he earned other accreditations, including Charter Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) and Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU). In 2008, Dallas and Sue sold their family home of 35 years in Manchester and returned to Fayette, where they have lived ever since.

Dallas was an avid outdoorsman, and he loved to fish, hunt, and garden. He imparted these passions to his children and grandchildren. Over the years, he and his family enjoyed many camping and float trips around Missouri, along with their annual family vacations to the Lake of the Ozarks. He also had many great memories from his fishing and hunting expeditions to Canada. He took great joy in sharing his garden produce with family, friends, and neighbors. He will always be remembered for his generous spirit, keen sense of humor, and bright smile.

Dallas is survived by his beloved wife of nearly 59 years, Sue, along with two sons: Tim (Melissa) Phillips of Ft. Myers Beach, Fla., and Patrick Phillips of Fenton, Mo.; one daughter: Susan Phillips, of Fayette; seven grandchildren: Caleb (Ashley) Phillips of Faucett, Mo.; Alex (Brianna ) Phillips-Anglin, of Independence, Mo.; Abbie (Joe) Wing of St. Louis, Mo.; Grace Phillips of Nashville, Tenn.; Madison Phillips, of Columbia, Mo.; Rilee Phillips and Jordan Phillips, of Fayette; and two great-grandchildren: Coy and Cree Phillips, of Faucett, Mo. He also leaves behind many nieces, nephews, and cousins. The family would like to extend their heartfelt thanks to Missy Homer with Hometown Homecare for the excellent care she provided during Dallas’s end-of-life journey.