Sept. 20, 1951 – Sept. 18, 2019

GILBERT, Arizona — Graveside services for Robert Alan Phipps, 67, of Gilbert, Arizona, who died Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2019, will be 11 a.m. Friday at the Natchez City Cemetery.
Visitation will be 10 a.m. Friday at Laird Funeral Home in Natchez.
A celebration of life will be held in Arizona, time and date yet to be announced.
Robert was born Thursday, Sept. 20, 1951, in Natchez, the son of John Mandeville Phipps and Mary Louise Enochs Phipps.
Robert grew up in Atlanta. He graduated from Riverside Military Academy in Hollywood, Florida in 1969. He was an Auburn University Alumni.
Robert had two favorite jobs that defined his life. The first was when he was employed by Brown and Brown Wrecker Service in Atlanta. He worked there from the early 1970s until the early 1980s. He could tell the most interesting stories for hours about that period of his life. A fall down some icy steps one morning brought that career to an end, because of a back injury that made it too painful to drive such a great number of hours.
After recovering from surgery, Robert found himself in San Francisco about 1983. He wandered into Dudley-Perkins Harley-Davidson and after a chance encounter with Dudley Perkins Sr., found himself employed. This chance encounter launched his 25-year career as a master Harley-Davidson technician. If you thought he spoke passionately about driving a wrecker, you would be in for a real treat discussing his Harley career with him.
Robert married Yvette Marie Scott on Dec. 31, 2003. They were approaching their 16th wedding anniversary.
He was an avid history buff and if you discussed history with him, it was as if he was really there, especially on the topic of the War Between the States. He was a true patriot and voicing his conservative political views could be considered his favorite hobby.
Robert was preceded in death by his father, John Mandeville Phipps and his mother, Mary Louise Phipps.
Robert is survived by his wife, Yvette, of Gilbert, Arizona; his sister, Lee Ann Lensch and his brother-in-law, Gary Lensch, and their son, Aaron, and daughter, Rebecca of Franklin, Tennessee.
Final arrangements entrusted to a collaborative effort between Sonoran Skies Mortuary in Mesa, Arizona, and Laird Funeral Home in Natchez.
Condolences can be left on Robert Alan Phipps guestbook at lairdfh.com.