On December 8, 2023, Phillip Lee McGarrah of Tontitown, AR passed away peacefully at home at the age of 74 years. He was born on March 16, 1949, in Springdale, AR to the late Charles and Helen (Vaughn) McGarrah. Phillip was a retired mechanic.  He was preceded in death by his wife of 42 years, Linda (Frazier) McGarrah; son, Shane McGarrah; granddaughter, Alexis Doody.

In March of 1967, Phillip married Linda.  They resided in northwest Arkansas their entire lives until Linda's passing in 2009.  Phillip enjoyed working in his shop, tearing things apart and putting them back together. There wasn't anything he couldn't fix. He was a lifelong salvage recovery expert and always looking for a deal. Phillip was an avid CB radio user and an Amateur Extra Class HAM radio operator. He built some great friendships over the years with his fellow operators and will forever be known as Bumblebee or KD5RTX to many of them. Phillip developed a love for animals that provided him with hours of joy, companionship, aggravation, and intrigue, especially his cats and the occasional groundhog. He enjoyed a lifelong passion for camping at the many local lakes and always shared pictures of the wildlife he encountered. About a year ago, Phillip paused most of his ventures to fight for his life against cancer, the same fight he walked with his wife years ago.

Phillip will be survived by his daughter, Mona (Randy) Hartung of Fayetteville; sister, Janette (Enos) Smithson of Tontitown; grandchildren, Ariel McGarrah (Chris Wasson) of West Fork, Austin (Cassidy) Doody of West Fork; great grandchildren, Breydon, Lillian, Isaiah, Oliver and Evalyn.

A heartfelt thank you is extended to the Circle of Life care team for providing comfort, compassion, care and direction this year. Thank you, Ruthie Littrell, for being his friend and travel companion during his final months, he truly enjoyed the company. His legacy will live on in the hearts and minds of those that knew him.

Graveside services will be 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, December 12, 2023 at Friendship Cemetery in Springdale, Arkansas with Bruce Smithson officiating. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to Circle of Life Hospice or Spay Arkansas