PHILLIP C. CONE
PHILLIP C. CONE
1941-2025
Phillip C. “Bud” Cone, 83, of Memphis died Sunday, April 27, 2025 at the Oak Ridge Assisted Living in Richmond, MO.
He was born the son of Raymond Thomas and Lois Helena (Stabler) Cone on September 28, 1941, at their home in rural Scotland County.
Phil graduated from Memphis High School in 1959 and then enlisted in the United States Navy. Phil proudly served our country for four years and was honorably discharged in January 1964.
He married the former Helen E. Tovar on February 1, 1964 in Irvindale, CA. They celebrated 52 years of marriage before Helen passed away on April 16, 2016.
Phil worked for 35 years for Mason & Hangar in Middleton, IA. After retiring, he enjoyed having coffee with his friends and neighbors in the morning, and in the afternoon would visit the Recreation Center to play snooker.
The most important thing in Phil’s life was his family. He was so immensely proud of his three grandsons and six great-grandchildren that brought a new joy to his life. He was deeply loved by his family and will be missed, but not forgotten.
He was preceded in death by wife, Helen; a daughter, Phyllis and son-in-law Joe Milburn; his parents; a step-father, Russell Aldridge; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Walter and Pauline Tovar; and mother-in-law and father-in-law, Carmen and Jim Torres.
He is survived by his daughter, Crystal (Rob) Jones of Richmond, MO; grandsons: Sam (Betty) Jones of Liberty, MO, Preston (Shelbie) Jones of Richmond, and Zach Milburn (Natasha Siver) of Memphis; great grandchildren: Annabelle, Olivia, Finn & Del Jones of Richmond, Alex and Beth Milburn of Memphis; two half-brothers and a half-sister: Harry (Dee) Aldridge of Eugene, OR, Steve (Yumiko) Aldridge of Springfield, OR, and Betty Aldridge of Burns, OR; three brothers-in-laws: Richard Tovar, Gerald Tovar and Walter Tovar of Loveland, CO; a sister-in-law: Grace (Jerry) Maetas of Ft. Riley, KS; four nephews, three nieces and several friends.
Memorial services will be at 1 p.m., on Thursday, May 8, at the Gerth Funeral Chapel with Richard Lourcey, pastor of the Richland Baptist Church officiating. Inurnment, with military rites performed by the Wallace W. Gillespie Memorial V.F.W. Post #4958 of Memphis and the Missouri Military Honors Program, will be in the Brock Cemetery.
Visitation is from 12-8 p.m., Wednesday, May 7 at the Gerth Funeral Home with the family greeting friends from 6-8 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggest memorials are suggested to Shirkey Hospice in Richmond or the Brock Cemetery and can be left at or mailed to the Gerth Funeral Service, 115 S. Main St., Memphis, MO 63555.
Condolences may be sent to the family of Phil Cone by signing the online guestbook at gerthfuneralservice.com.
Arrangements are under the direction of the Gerth Funeral Service in Memphis.
