Aaron Scott Phillips

Aaron Scott Phillips (or A-A-Ron, as family affectionately referred to him), aged 48, of Smyrna, TN, passed away on Saturday, June 1st, at Vanderbilt hospital. After winning his years-long battle with cancer, he succumbed to treatment complications. He passed peacefully after a small service, surrounded by family and friends.

Aaron was born on December 26, 1975 to Lynda Joyce Heavrin in Indianapolis, IN. After he graduated from Butler High School in 1994, he went on to earn a BA in graphic design at the University of Louisville. He joined Beta Theta Pi, where he was very active in community outreach, and was beloved by his fraternity brothers.

Upon graduation from U of L, Aaron pursued further training in ad printing in order to learn the technical ins and outs of the trade--because that's how he was: he had to be the best at everything he did. Afterward, he put in many years at different print and advertising agencies, including Vijon, Dollar General, and Bohan Advertising. His proudest career accomplishment was laying out the decals for the Dollar General NASCAR, but he also always enjoyed helping out a friend or family member with a logo for their small business. He became everyone's resident design and tech support.

In 2007, Aaron met Hollie Trevathan at Christ Church in Nashville. He had no choice but to talk to her because the pew was so crammed full that she practically had to sit on his lap, and this meeting would become one of Aaron's favorite stories to tell. They bonded over their geeky interests, as well as their mutual appreciation for inappropriate humor--and the rest is history. They married in December of that year, and in addition to Aaron's eldest daughter Amber (from his previous marriage to Geri Phillips), they went on to have two more children--their son Avery and their daughter Aurora--plus a variety of beloved chihuahuas, and the occasional "found-family" member, as his house and heart were open.

Aaron was larger than life--literally and figuratively. He was tall and athletic the majority of his life, but it was his personality that really made him stand out in a room full of people. He talked and laughed with abandon, and never knew a stranger--mostly because he would talk until that person was no longer a stranger, whether they agreed to it or not. He was always up for a good time and new adventure, be it dancing, taekwondo, DJ-ing, skydiving, or starting a family.

He loved that family fervently, and engaged them with his inner child, sharing in activities such as roller skating, BMX racing (before his wreck), Rock Band, beach trips, concerts, the occasional cosplay, and of course, fishing. When his body no longer cooperated physically, he turned his attention to spending as much time as he could with his kids in other ways, like sharing his art, building worlds in Minecraft and playing table top games.

Aaron would continue to pester his loved ones with his dad jokes and fake song lyrics up until the end. He never got the opportunity to retire, but if he had, he probably would have finally gotten a decent fishing boat, or the Mustang he always wanted--or both. He also dreamed about traveling the country in an RV with his wife. Aaron followed Christ and had a giant heart, so it's very likely he'll get to do those things in the place the Lord prepared for him. In the meantime, his absence has left a black hole where a small amount of the beauty in this world has drained away.

Aaron was predeceased by his mother, Lynda Joyce Heavrin. He is survived by his wife Hollie, his eldest daughter Amber, his son Avery, his daughter Aurora, his dad Kenny Kessler (Roxanne), his sister Allison Bensing (Mike), his brother Andrew Johnson, and his best friends, Dana Zedalis, Iris Nguyen and the Schmitz family. He also leaves behind many beloved nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts, and friends too countless to name.

Visitation for Aaron Scott Phillips will be held at Newcomer Funeral Home (10304 Dixie Hwy, Louisville, KY) on Thursday, June 13th from 4:00-8:00 p.m. There will be an additional visitation on Friday, June 14th from 9:00-11:00 a.m., followed by the service at 11:00 a.m. After the service, we will proceed to Risinger cemetery for his burial. There will be a livestream of the service for those who aren't able to attend. to leave a message for the family, please press the "share memories" button above.

Aaron's service will be livestreamed at the scheduled service time. Click here to view the service.