Phil Elliott Kittrell

Obituary Provided by Patsy Davis Phil Elliott Kittrell, Age 70, was born at Nashville Baptist Hospital to Samuel Morris Kittrell and Alma Ruth (nee Johnson) Kittrell. He lost a three-and-a-half-year battle with throat and lung cancer on December 18, 2024. Phil attended Ross Elementary School, continuing his education at East Nashville Junior High and East Nashville Senior High, graduating in 1972. Phil was a huge fan of the St. Louis Cardinals and has collected a lot of that team’s memorabilia. He was also an avid fan of the Nashville Predators hockey team and Nashville Sounds baseball team. At the age of twenty, in August 1974, Sheriff Fate Thomas took Phil under his wing and offered him a job at the Sheriff’s Department. Fate taught him all the walks of life and how to do things the proper way. Phil said he was like a father to him. He worked under Sheriff Thomas until 28 February 2013. Phil then started a part-time job under the supervision of Sheriff Daren Hall. Phil was a member of Judson Baptist Church and Goodwill Sunday School Class. If you called him on Wednesday or Thursday and asked him, what are you doing, his answer was always studying his Sunday school lesson for church. In 1977, Phil joined the Al Menah Shrine. Phil said, “That was the best thing I ever did. It made me a better person.” He enjoyed meeting and being with all the different local and Southeast area unit members. Phil was proud of what the Shrine was all about. He was delighted at the help given to the Shrine Children’s Hospital, by the aid provided to crippled, burn, and disfigured children, hopefully making a better life for each of them. Each Shrine member looked forward to the yearly paper sale, where all the money would go supporting the Shrine Children’s hospitals. He joined the Drum & Bugle Corp, playing the drums during parades and in competitions. Phil’s father was also a member of the Al Menah Shrine, in the Clown unit. His clown’s name was Dummy. Everyone loved Phil like a brother or a son. He was always joking and telling tales, so you never knew if what he was saying was true or not. He told a story about his grandmother. He said, “my Granny rode a motorcycle with the Hells Angels.” We wondered if it was true or not. Phil and his wonderful, crazy sense of humor will be missed. At the age of 20 Phil asked one of the Shrine ladies if she would adopt him so that she could hear the pitter-patter of his little feet running up and down her hallway. After that the lady always addressed him as her adopted son. Anyone would be proud to call Phil their son, brother, or friend because everyone loved him. Phil says, “Many thanks go out to Patsy Davis and Janice Bond for the last few years. Without them I would not have made it.” When Sam Kittrell, Phil’s father, passed in 1996, Opie Sory stepped in as a father figure and mentor. Opie was a Warrant Officer in traffic court. One Friday afternoon Officer Opie came to his grandmother’s home and asked to see Phil. When Phil came to the door, Officer Opie said, “I am here to take you downtown.” Grandmother said, “What have you gotten yourself into now?” Officer Opie said that he has 100+ unpaid parking tickets on you. Phil said, “I park at the courthouse because I work at the Sheriff’s Office.” Office Opie looked hard at Phil and said, “First thing Monday morning you see Judge Murphy and explain to him about all these tickets!” Many heartfelt thanks to Opie for standing by me for all these years. Also, for getting me back on track in the house of our Lord and back with my church family. Phil was an only child. The good Lord blessed him with three great women in his life, which raised him, his mother, Mrs. Alma Ruth Kittrell, his grandmother, Mrs. Ona Mae Johnson, and his aunt Ms. Kathleen Johnson. They did a wonderful job! Phil was proceeded in death by his parents, Sam and Alma Kittrell; his grandmother, Ona Mae Johnson; and hiss aunt Ms. Kathleen Johnson. Phil is survived by his cousins, Susan and Marshall Horton; and his Aunt Samie Appleton. Phil wanted to thank all the doctors and nurses at St. Thomas Hospital for all their support and hard work provided to him over the last two and a half years keeping him going with his cancer fight. Honorary Pallbearers: Judson Baptist Church Family, Goodwill Sunday School Class, Davidson County Sheriff Department, East Nashville Senior High School Class of 1972, Al Menah Shrine Drum & Bugle Corp, Ionic Lodge 254 of Free and Accepted Masons, West Nashville Phoenix Masonic Lodge 131, Judge Gale Robinson, Judge Mark Fishburn, Sheriff Daren Hall, Doctor Gary McDonald, Mr. David Smith, Mr. Wayne Miller, and Mr. Ricky Rucker. Visitation will be at Phillips-Robinson Funeral Home on Monday, December 23 from 11am until the time of our masonic service at 1:45pm followed by the funeral service at 2pm in our chapel. Preacher Joe Evans will conduct the service. Interment will be at Spring Hill Cemetery on Monday, December 30 at 1pm. P.S He did not go to jail concerning those parking tickets!

Phil Elliott Kittrell

November 22, 1953 - December 18, 2024