Phillip West

Phillip Franklin West March 28, 1958 – July 12, 2026

Phillip Franklin West, 68, passed away on July 12, 2026. Phil was born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, on March 28, 1958, to Sterling and Betty West, who preceded him in death.

Phil is survived by his wife of 43 years, Monieca Mills West; his daughter, Whitney Ann Horton; and his grandson, Dean Robert Horton, of whom he was especially proud, not least of all because Dean looked so much like him. He is also survived by his brother, James Timothy West, and wife Jeannie, and their daughters, Laura Neal and husband Sam and children Jack, Lily and Matthew; Katie Halford and husband Seth and their children Amelia and Audrey; his brother, Fletcher Todd West, and wife Denise and their children, Caroline and Sterling.

Phil graduated from Watson Chapel High School, where he was highly regarded for his leadership and his athletic ability in both football and baseball. He attended the University of Arkansas at Monticello on a baseball scholarship, transferring to Memphis State University when he was hired by Southwestern Bell Telephone Company.

Phil began his career in 1978 as a lineman for Southwestern Bell in West Memphis and was soon promoted to construction foreman in North Little Rock before transferring into marketing. When the Bell System was broken apart in 1984, he was assigned to AT&T, where he built a highly successful career as a senior account executive serving military operations, most notably Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma City. Phil chose to retire from AT&T in 1995 to launch his own business, but the company retained him a while longer to coordinate AT&T's services in the aftermath of the Oklahoma City Murrah Building bombing. After that assignment, he went on to build and manage his own businesses until his eventual retirement.

Phil was an exceptional man who loved sports with his whole heart —Alabama, LSU and Arkansas football, and the New York Yankees. He also had a well-earned reputation for handicapping the horses at Oaklawn Park and was known to check his daughter out of school to accompany him for “math” lessons.

But above every game and every wager, Phil loved his daughter, Whitney, and he was thrilled beyond words to become PawPaw to Dean. He was a wise counselor to many, especially to Whitney's friends from elementary school all the way through college — a coach, a mentor, and a calm and steady example to everyone who knew him. If something needed doing and everyone said it couldn't be done, Phil found a way to do the impossible.

Phil and Monieca shared 48 years together, from the day they met to his final hour — 48 years of tears and laughter, and a love that never wavered.

Visitation will be held on Friday, July 17, 2026, beginning at 2:00 p.m., with memorial services following under the care of Smith North Little Rock Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial gifts be made to the Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church Building Fund, 4823 Woodlawn Drive, Little Rock, AR 72205, the NLR Wildcat Foundation (https://www.thewildcatfoundation.com/donation) or the charity of your choice.

Smith North Little Rock Funeral Home, 1921 Main St., North Little Rock, AR 72114. 501-758-1170.