Caroll Copp Phillips

Carroll Copp Phillips, 86 Crowder Bros. Ace Hardware Lakeland " Mr. Carroll Copp (Bud) Phillips, died peacefully at home surrounded by loved ones. Born at Tampa General Hospital, on March 10, 1929, he was a second generation Tampa native and the second son of Elizabeth Copp Phillips and I.W. Phillips. Owner of Crowder Bros. ACE Hardware in Lakeland, he was born into the hardware business established in 1898 by his grandfather. He worked many years at the family""s wholesale business, I.W. Phillips & Company, located in downtown Tampa. After graduating from Augusta Military Academy in 1946, he earned a degree in Business Administration from the University of Florida. While there, he was an officer and member of Kappa Alpha Order. Following 3 years of service in the United States Coast Guard from ""51 to ""54, he returned to Tampa where he was a member of the Palma Ceia Golf Club and a bachelor member of Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla. He was an officer of the Merrymaker""s Club and the Old Palma Ceia Oyster Eating Society. He moved to Lakeland in 1973 to switch from the wholesale into the retail hardware business "co-founding with a longtime friend and mentor, John Crowder, in forming a new store at the current Southgate location and later opening a store on the north side. Over his years in Lakeland, he was active in the Citrus Center Kiwanis Club and Lone Palm Golf Club. With his wife, Carolyn, he has been an active member of St. David""s Episcopal Church, having served on the Vestry and the Capital Campaign. Having always maintained an interest in agriculture, he and friend, Jack Baxter, at one time, accumulated several citrus groves in Lake Placid, Florida. In addition to his wife of 56 years, Carolyn, Mr. Phillips is survived by his daughter, Elizabeth (Beth) P. Weldon and children, Scott (Kahlyn) and Ashley Weldon; two sons " Bruce Duncan Phillips " wife, Keisha, and daughter, Kendall Simpler; and Andrew W. Phillips, of Breckenridge, Colorado. He also leaves behind a younger brother, William T. (Bill) Phillips, along with his older brother""s widow, Flo C. Phillips and many nieces and nephews. A memorial service will be held at on Thursday, July 30 at 4PM at Saint David""s Episcopal Church; 145 E. Edgewood Drive; Lakeland, Florida. Contributions may be made to St. David""s or to Good Shepherd Hospice, 105 Arneson Ave., Auburndale, FL 33823. Service: 07/30/2015 St. David's Episcopal Church 145 E. Edgewood Drive, Lakeland, Fl.