Mace Hawkins Phillips, Jr., 86, of Morning Pointe in East Brainerd, TN passed away Sunday, December 27, 2015. He was a native of Florence, AL, grew up in Chattanooga, and had lived most of his life in Atlanta. He was a 1947 graduate of City High School in Chattanooga and he received his Bachelor''s Degree in Industrial Engineering from Georgia Tech in 1952. He was a member of the Theta Chi Fraternity, a member of the Open Hands Project in Atlanta, and also the Paralyzed Veterans of America. He was a United States Army Veteran having served in the Korean War and he was of the Methodist faith. He retired from American Sprinkler Corporation in 1992 with 40 years of service. Family was very important to Mace and in 1979 he started the Phillips Family Reunion which still takes place each year. Mace was the Patriarch of the family, and even though he had no children of his own he looked at his nieces and nephews as his own children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. He loved his family, his work, traveling, and he was known to be generous to many social organizations, family, and friends. For his 80th birthday the family put together "80 reasons why to love Mace" and had that framed for him to show their love for a man that loved them so much. 2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith.

Mace was preceded in death by his parents, Mace Hawkins Phillips, Sr. and Virgie Broadfoot Phillips; brothers and sisters, Estelle "Auntie" Raymon, William Turner Phillips, Mary Evelyn Stephens, and Charles Ellis Phillips, Sr.; nephew, Bill Phillips; niece, Cindy Phillips; and partner of 34 years, Ron Wolf.

Survivors include his nieces and nephews, Phillip (Patty) Stephens, Janeen (Harold) Lee, Greg (Teresa) Stephens, Anita (David) Robinson, Carolyn Phillips, Virginia (Mike) Foley, Bryan (Julia) Phillips, and Charles E. (Dawn) Phillips, Jr.; 20 great nieces and nephews; and many great-great nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers contributions may be made in Mace''s name to the Paralyzed Veterans of America at 801 Eighteenth Street, NW Washington, DC 20006-3517; Pug Rescue athttps://donate.rescueme.org/pug; or to Open Hands at http://www.openhandatlanta.org/.

The family would like to extend a thank you to Morning Pointe Assisted Living, the entire staff, and a special thank you to Myra and Lisa.

A Celebration of life will be held Saturday, January 9, 2016 at 2:00p.m. at Elkins Funeral Home 1535 Hermitage Drive Florence, AL 35630 with Anita Robinson officiating.

Burial will follow in the Florence City Cemetery.

Arrangements are by the South Crest Chapel of Lane Funeral Home and Crematory, located at the end of historic Missionary Ridge, Rossville and Elkins Funeral Home in Florence.