William Ingram Philips III, went to be with the Lord, July 21, 2026. Ingram was born September 16, 1939, in Miami, Florida, the son of William Ingram Jr. of Eatonton, Georgia and Frances Carley Swygert of LaGrange, Georgia. He was the proud husband of Mary Lynn (Powell) Philips, also of Little Rock. Mary was born in Lymington, Hampshire, England. They met in Bad Kreuznach, Germany, and married in Texarkana, Texas.
Ingram was blessed with three children: Leigh Anne Lord, Susan Elizabeth Philips and Christopher Eric Nielson, and one granddaughter, Catherine Lord. With delight, he remembered days with his sisters: Frances Anne Copeland, Claudia Jones, and Roberta Gilles, as well as with his Sigma Nu fraternity brothers in Gainesville, Florida, and the many law enforcement officers partnered as Indian Rock (Arkansas) Township Constable, Fairfield Bay Police and Van Buren County Arkansas Sheriff’s Office. Ingram considered Bexar County, Texas deputy Raul Garza as his mentor and son. He counted brother-in-law Gordon Gilles and nephew Scott O’Brien as special in his life.
Colonel Philips was a thirty-year United States Army officer following Reserve Officer Training Corps at the University of Florida. He served in the Armor, Ordnance and Chaplain branches. He was awarded the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star and Meritorious Service Medals (6 times), among other decorations. Colonel Philips was a Persian Gulf War combat veteran. He attended the Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, Mississippi and obtained the Doctor of Ministry. He was a member of Fellowship Bible Church.
Governor Asa Hutchinson appointed Colonel Philips to the Arkansas Veterans’ Commission in 2017. Following cremation by Roller Funeral Homes, Commissioner Philips’ ashes will be placed in the Arkansas State Veterans’ Cemetery in North Little Rock. In lieu of other remembrances, he asked that donations be made to the Disabled American Veterans or other veteran service organizations.
