Derek John Phillips (4 Jul 1949 - 5 Feb 2021)

In loving memory of Derek John Phillips who sadly passed away on 5th February 2021.

Derek was born in Southampton on 4th July 1949 to William and Molly and grew up in Portswood and Millbrook with his siblings Irene, Margaret, Brian and David.
He attended Wimpson Junior School and Redbridge Senior School with a very keen interest in anything sporty - especially football and cricket.
Derek played football for Southampton schoolboys and went on to play for many local teams during his career - including Wimpson, Millbrook & Maybush Youth, Sandown, Toogoods, Totton Athletic, Winchester City, Road Sea and B.A.T.
On leaving school, Derek went on to work at Toogoods and then spent over 32 years working for B.A.T. where he ended up as Team Leader in the Filter Rods department, before taking a well-earned early retirement.
He is survived by his only child; his son Ian. Derek passed on his interest in sport to Ian and watched him play football and cricket regularly whilst Ian was growing up.
Derek had an amazing bond with his son and they had a father-son relationship like no other, which continued throughout Derek's life. They lived in Totton and Calmore and enjoyed going to watch Southampton FC together - both at The Dell and then at St. Mary's. Even managing to see Saints in the 2003 FA Cup final in Cardiff along with a couple of Wembley appearances thrown in, to see their beloved team play.
Derek loved the USA, from the first time he went in 2004 to Florida with his family. He followed this up with trips to New York in 2008 and both Las Vegas and New York in 2011. Then went back to New York again in 2018 to celebrate Ian's 40th birthday and New York again (surprise surprise!) to celebrate his own 70th birthday in 2019.
You could definitely say that Derek had fallen in love with New York! His favourite place there is in his photo - Sat by the Bethesda Fountain in Central Park.
He also had a love of music and attended many music concerts and shows - including Rod Stewart, Frankie Valli and Michael Bublé along with his favourite show, We Will Rock You.
Whatever life threw at him, Derek always had a sense of humour. He loved to laugh and this much was obvious with the amount of comedy shows he would watch and attend with Ian.
He would often say "If you haven't got a sense of humour in life, then what have you got?"
Derek showed amazing strength, courage and determination over the past seven-and-a-half years fighting prostate cancer, but he absolutely lived his life to the fullest and we can take great comfort in knowing that. He was simply the best father, brother, uncle and friend to many.
Derek will leave a huge hole in all of our lives, but heaven has gained another Saint.
Rest in peace xxx

Donations in Memory of Derek can be made via
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ian-phillips25