Preston Phillips, MD

Often described as a true gentleman with an infectious smile, Dr. Preston Phillips, was a beloved husband and father of three children, as well as a dedicated orthopedic surgeon with Warren Clinic. With a distinguished 17-year career at Saint Francis, he had served as a board member of Saint Francis Health System. A 1990 graduate of Harvard Medical School, Dr. Phillips completed two fellowships at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston in 1986 and 1996. Beyond his medical studies, Dr. Phillips had advanced degrees in organic chemistry and pharmacology, as well as theology from Emory University.

Dr. Phillips had been preparing to go on his fifth mission trip to west Africa in mid-June for a nonprofit organization, Light in the World Development Foundation. The foundation, which he cofounded with Saint Francis hospitalist Dr. Komi Folly, was created with the mission of providing surgical services to those in underserved areas of the U.S. and Africa. It has been said that Dr. Phillips possessed "an extraordinary level of devotion to his patients and believed his work as a physician was not just his job, but his calling in life."

His friends and colleagues say Dr. Phillips will be long remembered as a person "who had a kind word for everyone and positively impacted the lives of many. In short, he made this world a better place."