Captain Samuel Durand Phillips

Published 8:16 am Thursday, April 12, 2018

Dec. 8, 1990 – April 3, 2018

Captain Samuel Durand Phillips, 27, of San Diego, CA, passed away Tuesday, April 3, 2018. He was born December 8, 1990, in Charlotte, NC, to Phyllis and Michael Phillips.

He was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, Gedeon and Lucie Durand; and his paternal grandmother, Virginia Phillips.

Sam graduated from Summit High School in Bend, Oregon. During high school, Sam was a member of the state champion swim team and the golf team. Sam was an accomplished sport shooter and won the Oregon State Sporting Clays Championship. He went on to earn his bachelor’s degree from the University of Idaho. Sam joined the US Marine Corps and was commissioned August 23, 2013. He had earned the rank of 1st Lieutenant in August of 2015 and was promoted to Captain on April 11, 2018. Sam completed The Basic School in Quantico, VA; Naval Aviation Flight Training in Whiting Field, FL; and CH-53E Flight Training at MCAS New River, NC. Sam was assigned to the Third Marine Aircraft Wing’s 465th Squadron out of Miramar Air Station in San Diego.

He loved surfing, playing golf, cornhole, cooking, fishing, flounder gigging, and making people laugh.

Sam is survived by his girlfriend, Katie Motsko; parents, Michael and Phyllis Phillips; sister, Angela Pickersgill and husband, Eric; paternal grandfather, Bunn Tate Phillips; and his nephew, Corbin Pickersgill.

A funeral service will be held on Saturday, April 14, 2018, at 3:00pm, at Community Presbyterian Church, 125 Everett Road Pinehurst, NC. Following the funeral service, a Celebration of Sam’s life will be held on the Village Green starting at 4:30pm, wearing tacky, colorful, Hawaiian shirts is strongly encouraged; Sam would love this.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Wingman Foundation, 10915 Via Brescia, Unit 909, San Diego, CA 92129 or online at www.wingmanfoundation.org.

Online condolences may be made at www.bolesfuneralhome.com.

Boles Funeral Home is serving the family.