Phillip Filo Church was born on February 13, 1896, in Summit (Wilkes County), North Carolina. Church was a farmer in Summit when he registered for the draft (World War I) in June 1917. He was called to service in May 1918 and sent to Camp Jackson, South Carolina. Afraid of the influenza pandemic and its spread, Church deserted the camp on July 15 and returned home to Wilkes County. He returned to the service the day before the Armistice took effect and died of pneumonia and influenza on January 22, 1919.