In April of 1931 Charlie graduated from Milton High School. He was a member of the high school basketball team. The members of the graduating class were very near and dear to him. He helped to start the bi-annual luncheon meetings which lasted well into the 1990's.
On April 7, 1934 Charlie married Virginia Adams from Dunwoody. Charlie always kidded that he had to leave the Alpharetta area to find someone who would have him as a husband. This union was blessed with three children, Jerry, Sandra, and Sadie.
His professional career began with Swift and Company in Atlanta. In 1936 he joined the staff of Roswell Store Funeral Home. He served as a suit, shirt, and hat salesman during the day. At the same time, when a call came for ambulance service or a call to come for a loved one who had passed away, Charlie and Mr. Otis Ball would leave the store and immediately proceed with those responsibilities. Sometimes these duties carried them well into the night hours. Charlie also learned the trade of meat cutter. When Mr. Luke Rainwater was on vacation or ill, Charlie became the butcher at the Roswell Store. This trade later became an important tool which will be shared later in this article.
During his stay in Roswell, Charlie joined the Masonic Order of Free Masons and the Eastern Star. Many years he served as secretary of the Royal Arch as well as the Blue Lodge. He was very proud of the charitable events sponsored by the Masons that helped many people in need. The Masons at the Alpharetta Masonic Lodge honored Charlie when he reached his fiftieth year in this Order. Later these same men were responsible for the grave side services when he was buried on May 2, 1994.
Referring to the trade of meat cutter, a member of a local family called for Charlie to come for the body of a loved one who had died suddenly. When he arrived at the home, he learned that the deceased had been to the hog market to have his hog killed. Just as he returned home, the gentleman died from a heart attack. Charlie told the family that he would take the deceased to the funeral home and make the necessary arrangements. In the meantime the family was to gather meat preparation materials and to prepare for the butchering of the hog. After several hours Charlie returned and with the family prepared the meat for preservation. Charlie said that the family and he would laugh at times and cry at times as they thought about the deceased. They knew that their Dad would be pleased to know that his effort to provide meat for his family did not go in vain.
One of the highlights of his eighty-five years was the celebration of his 78th birthday. Rev. A. Ben Hatfield invited Charlie to meet him for coffee at the Alpha Soda. When Charlie arrived he found himself the guest of honor ast a surprise birthday party, complete with cake, flowers, friends, relatives and city officials. The mayor at that time, Jimmy Phillips, proclaimed the "Charlie Phillips Day." Reading from an official city document the mayor announced: "Whereas Mr. Charlie Phillips has been a fine, upstanding citizen of Alpharetta for many years and has always expressed interest in city affairs, the citizens of Alpharetta, Georgia, would like to wish Mr. Charlie Phillips a very special happy birthday... and many years of continued good health, prosperity and happiness." Harry Thigpen, the Alpha Soda Proprietor, said, "Charlie comes in here about every day, but that's not why we threw this party. He's just a very special person who's always got a friendly word for everybody."
The thought given by Mr. Thigpen expressed Charlie's life in a nutshell. Charlie's favorite verse of poetry was "Let me live in a house by the side of the road and be a friend to man."