Thaddeus Hilliard Phillips, Jr. was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the second child of Thaddeus and Mary Alice (Braxton) Phillips. He joined sister Juanita on that hot day on the third floor of a Strauss Street duplex; “I was big, and that was the end of me being big.” A self-described “Mamma’s Boy”, he was affectionately known by his family as “Brother”, a way to teach his sister how to talk.

He had many stories of his growing up days on the North Side- including playing marbles, attending summer camp at Camp Weldon Johnson with his good friend, Derek Bell, and building model airplanes. His sister was a great and present influence in his life, and he credits her with much of his survival on the city streets as well as his many successes in life. Studious and “fairly spoiled” as a young man, he was active in his church and school athletics. He played clarinet and piano and was especially proud of being asked to march in the American Legion Parade, a rarity for a young Black person in those days.

He attended Lincoln University (PA) on scholarship, where he became a member of his beloved fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha, Inc, Nu Chapter. He proudly crossed the “burning sands” on April 24, 1952 with Jeff Jones and James Preston. Between semesters, he could be found on his grandfather, John Richard’s farm in North Carolina and spent one eventful summer in New York City with his Uncle Peter. Uncle Peter was a barber at the infamous Hotel Theresa where he met many celebrities of the day including Moms Mabley. He recalled seeing many of the great musicians - James Brown, Cab Calloway, Horace Silver, Count Basie- in Harlem and then on U Street in Washington, D.C. where he attended Howard University School of Dentistry (1955-59). It was there at a dance, he met the love of his life, Mary Marjorie (Margie) Pettiford, a nursing student at Freedmans. He noted she was a “good dancer” and could do the “jitter bug” and before he called her, he had it “all scripted.” He wrote down his questions and her potential answers. He succeeded and they celebrated 70 years of marriage in June, 2026. Together, they raised five daughters and one son; Tawnya, Toni, Tracy, Terri, Thad III and Tricia. His children have fond memories of falling asleep to the music he played on piano each evening after work.

After graduation and a brief dental practice in McKeesport, PA, he joined the U.S. Army Dental Corps serving as Battalion Surgeon at the Demilitarized Zone during the Korean War. He was honorably discharged and relocated from Ft. Meade, Maryland to Harrisburg in 1965 where he joined the busy practice of Dr. Joseph Moran on 3rd Street. After Dr. Moran’s death, he purchased 1516 North 2nd Street and faithfully served the community of Harrisburg, until his retirement in 2015. Though he loved dentistry, his greatest loves were his wife, his family and his home on Jordan Drive. He had a special knack for identifying the traits in each of us and assigning names that stuck forever: Red Girl/Putter (Mom), Charles (as in King, Tawnya), Momma Toni (Toni), Bird (Tracy), Boonker (Terri), FadtheFird (Thad III) and Tutty-Putt (Tricia). Collectively his children were “The Woompers” and he reveled in making us laugh when he would come home from the office and stack them in a pile on the living room floor- from biggest to smallest. He loved to sing and was a treasured bass voice in the Capital Presbyterian Church choir. Car trips to North Carolina were so much fun because he led all of the children in harmonized songs in rounds- Jimmy Crack Corn, Bill Grogan’s Goat, and BINGO. Ask any of his children or grandchildren about the annual birthday singing of “Rinchie Pan Poor,” sung in his inimitable and deepest bass voice for maximal effect. Even meal time prayers were sung in three part harmony. An avid sports fan, he loved the Pittsburgh Steelers and was an early fan of the Boston Celtics, the first NBA team to integrate its roster. After his children insisted he retire, he took great joy in “watching the show” as his many grandchildren and great grandchildren visited the family home on Jordan Drive. He was proud of their accomplishments and “bargained with the Lord” for time to watch them achieve their many successes. When asked what advice he would give his teenage self, his reply was “I would not worry about the future. I did not expect to be here. I didn’t know I would make it this far”.

He was a former member of the Boule and Club 21, Harrisburg.

What a blessing his life was to so many! His absence leaves an unfillable hole in our hearts. But we know, as a man of unshakeable faith, he is resting in the arms of the Lord he loved.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two grandchildren, Aaron Julian Wates and Aliyah Karmel Phillips.

He leaves to celebrate his life, his beloved wife Marge; sister, Juanita Green (CA); children, Tawnya (Luther), Toni (Barnabus), Tracy, Terri (James), Thad (Angela) and Tricia (Owen); 22 grandchildren and 19 great grandchildren; brothers-in-law, Leonard (Belva) and Tony Pettiford; bonus son, Steve Johnson; a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, innumerable children of his heart and the community of Hodges Heights.

We will remember his dedicated and tireless service to the dental healthcare of the citizens of Harrisburg, his quick wit and intellect, his voice and songs and the love he demonstrated by his actions and deeds.

“Well done, good and faithful servant” - Matthew 25:23

Forever loved, cherished, adored.

His life will be celebrated at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, July 15, 2026 in the Sanctuary of Living Water Community Church, 206 Oakleigh Avenue, Harrisburg with viewing and visitation from 9:30 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. and burial in Indiantown Gap National Cemetery.