Clarence Phillips, 90, was born on December 14, 1921 in the family farmhouse near Hindsville, Arkansas. He died of natural causes at his home on Tuesday, January 17, 2012. He was the 5th of 9 children born to Guy and Minnie Phillips. In 1934, during the middle of the Great Depression, their family moved to the Yuma Valley looking for work in the farm fields. As a boy, he would work alongside adults in the fields after school and on the weekends for 25 cents a day...for a 12 hour day. He attended Yuma High School and as many young people did, enlisted in the Navy in 1942. He served aboard the USS Bunker Hill in the Pacific as a Tail Gunner in a TBF/TBN Torpedo Bomber, fighting near the islands of Siapan, Tinian and the Marianas Islands. Clarence was awarded two Navy Air Metals and one Navy Distinguished Flying Cross for his accomplishments. After the War, he was honorably discharged from active duty and served in the Navy reserves until 1950. When he arrived back to Yuma, in 1946, he married the love of his life, LaVaughn Smith. He began baling hay and by 1949, his stellar work ethic and honesty caught the eye of an older farmer named Bill Huss. They formed a farming partnership known as Huss and Phillips which continued until Bill's death in the early 1960's. Clarence continued to actively farm under his own name of Clarence Phillips Farms until the latter 1990's. Clarence enjoyed hunting elk, deer, ducks, geese and upland birds. He loved to fish for mountain trout at the family cabin in Idaho. Many trips were also made to El Golfo, Mexico where he loved to latch onto a big grouper or pinto fish. Pinochle was his card game of choice and if you were at the table, do NOT slow down the play! In his later years, he would feed his competitive nature by playing the board game of Joker with very special friends. He is survived by his siblings; Lillian Rose, Shirley Smithers and James Phillips. Children; Cara Clayton, Lavina (Jim) Platt, Debbie and Phil Townsend. Grandchildren; Matthew (Deidra) Phillips, Paige (Ben) Brooks, Dan (Stacey) Platt and Alyson (Tim) Butcher. Great Grandchildren; Anna Belle and Steven Phillips, Ryan and Oliver Brooks and Aubrey and Brielle Platt. Clarence is also survived by many nieces and nephews and his caregiver and close friend Maria Garcia. He was preceded in death by his loving wife of 49 1/2 years LaVaughn, and his son Steven, who was his son/hunting/fishing/farming partner. Also his 2nd wife Lillia Mason Phillips. Siblings; Arla Johnson, Ray Phillips, Milburn Phillips, Howard Phillips and Herman Phillips. Pallbearers will be Matthew Phillips, Daniel Platt, Ben Brooks, Tim Butcher, Kyle Williams and Terry Bendix. Viewing will be Friday, January 20th from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Johnson Mortuary 1415 S. 1st Avenue. Services will be held Saturday, January 21st at 10:00 AM at First Christian Church, 3261 S. Avenue 6E (32nd Street and 6E) Graveside internment will be at Desert Lawn Memorial Park at 2:00 PM. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Cystic Fibrosis Foundation 6931 Arlington Road 2nd Floor, Bethesda, Maryland 20814 or Hospice of Yuma 1824 S. 8th Avenue Yuma, AZ 85364 Daddy, Grandpa, CP - You worked hard, played hard and gave each of us a strong foundation to stand on. We promise to carry on and make you proud! Please sign the guestbook at www.yumasun.com/obituaries.