Obituary of George Ernest Phillips

It is with the greatest sorrow that the family of George Ernest Phillips, wishes to announce his untimely death on Sunday, February 21, 2016. George 72, died suddenly while he was doing what he enjoyed doing most, hiking near his home in the Santa Cruz Mountains. George passed away while looking out at his most loved view of the Santa Cruz Mountains, up above the fog line of the redwoods, upon the peaks off Summit Road, among the Oaks and Manzanita trees, looking towards the Monterey Bay. George is survived by his wife, Reta, his two children;, daughter Brittney (Brady) and son Jordan (Susan) and eight grandchildren; Austin, Landon, Kyana, Gavin, Alanakai, Halle, Avery and Mayzie . George is also survived by his brother, Ken Phillips To know George was to love George. A business leader, an honest friend, a man of infinite ingenuity, possibility and presence, George was the guy who could be talking to a room full of people and remember everyone's name on a single pass. The founder and president of Grateful Greens, a company who supplies greens to Jamba Juice and many grocery and commercial outlets, George was known for rejoicing in working long hours and finding great satisfaction in a good day's work. He will be remembered as a man who always gave more than he got, of gentle temperament, and with an eye for quality and detail throughout all facets of his life. A California native, George graduated from Utah's Brigham Young University with a degree in Business Administration, moving on to Wall Street, before returning to Santa Barbara in the 60's. For the next fifty years, George's career was a ladder of success, marked by numerous awards for exemplary salesmanship in the creation and growth of a number of companies, from sales awards at Xerox, culminating in being the National Sales Director of Silicon Valley's Covalent Systems, he moved through many leadership roles in technology companies in Silicon Valley, before the founding of his own company, Grateful Greens, in the mid 2000's. George attacked leisure like he attacked his work. An avid skier, hiker and nature enthusiast, George was at home, whether packing in Mineral King's peaks and valleys, or Hawaii's Big Island, or in the coastal mountains near his home. George was always focused on when he could get "back to the Sierra"... the place that shaped him. His outward presence was one of confidence and stability. His inward nature was about driving to the silence of nature, the possibility of the future, the grounding of what was in front of him in the moment. When he wasn't out enjoying nature, George could be found working on his property, which he loved, while listening to albums like "Dark Side of the Moon". To talk to his family about George is to learn of a generous man, who above all else, could see the possibility, or even more to the truth, the opportunity, behind every situation. Described regularly as a man who could see both the forest and the trees, George was of a rare character, able to dismiss distraction while tirelessly pursuing a singular vision. A gathering for family and friends to remember George will be held on Saturday April 2nd, 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Henry Cowell Redwood State Park, 101 N. Big Trees Park Rd., Felton, CA 95018. In lieu of flowers the family asks that you make donations in George's memory to www.heifer.org