1944
Lee
2011
Lee Alan Phillips
November 30, 1944 — May 10, 2011
Lee Alan Phillips
Nov. 30, 1944 - May 10, 2011
Lee Alan Phillips was born November 30, 1944 in Mexico City, Mexico to Arthur and Velva Phillips, the third of four children. He died on May 10, 2011 in Tucson, AZ, losing a brief and painful struggle with skin cancer.
Lee attended the Pan American Workshop grade school in Mexico City and North High School in Des Moines, Iowa. He majored in English at Covenant College on Lookout Mountain in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where he was president of his class.
During the Vietnam conflict, Lee received a commission in the US Air Force, where he served for nine years as an officer and pilot, eventually earning the rank of Captain. He flew numerous important missions and was awarded an Air Medal for conspicuous gallantry under fire. After Vietnam, Lee married Becky VanKampen, and was stationed in Panama, where their daughter, Laurie was born.
After receiving an honorable discharge and numerous commendations from the Air Force, Lee attended Spartan College of Aeronautics in Oklahoma, where his first son, Nathan was born, and worked repairing a crashed airplane in Columbia. He then attended Multnomah University in Portland, Oregon, where their son Andrew was born. After graduation, the family moved to Guadalajara, Mexico for four years, and then settled in the town of Navojoa, in northwestern Mexico. Lee became a respected English teacher, and taught at high school, university and professional levels for many years. Lee maintained a prolific garden, and enjoyed the classics of literature and music, especially Tolkien and Bach. He had a great love of words and learning, and could on occasion be found at his desk reading through his enormous encyclopedic dictionary.
Lee was a gentle, kind man, who preferred to absorb pain rather than render it. Though Lee’s life was abbreviated by metastasized melanoma, which was left undiagnosed and untreated until it was too late, the morals, values, work ethic, life lessons and goodness that he passed on to his children and grandchildren will live on after him, and he will be remembered, despite his protests, as a good father and a good man.
Lee’s life and service were honored with military honors at Southern Arizona Veterans' Memorial Cemetery in Sierra Vista, Arizona. His services were overseen by his son, Andrew, who now serves as a funeral director at Farnstrom Mortuary in Independence, Oregon.
Nov. 30, 1944 - May 10, 2011
Lee Alan Phillips was born November 30, 1944 in Mexico City, Mexico to Arthur and Velva Phillips, the third of four children. He died on May 10, 2011 in Tucson, AZ, losing a brief and painful struggle with skin cancer.
Lee attended the Pan American Workshop grade school in Mexico City and North High School in Des Moines, Iowa. He majored in English at Covenant College on Lookout Mountain in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where he was president of his class.
During the Vietnam conflict, Lee received a commission in the US Air Force, where he served for nine years as an officer and pilot, eventually earning the rank of Captain. He flew numerous important missions and was awarded an Air Medal for conspicuous gallantry under fire. After Vietnam, Lee married Becky VanKampen, and was stationed in Panama, where their daughter, Laurie was born.
After receiving an honorable discharge and numerous commendations from the Air Force, Lee attended Spartan College of Aeronautics in Oklahoma, where his first son, Nathan was born, and worked repairing a crashed airplane in Columbia. He then attended Multnomah University in Portland, Oregon, where their son Andrew was born. After graduation, the family moved to Guadalajara, Mexico for four years, and then settled in the town of Navojoa, in northwestern Mexico. Lee became a respected English teacher, and taught at high school, university and professional levels for many years. Lee maintained a prolific garden, and enjoyed the classics of literature and music, especially Tolkien and Bach. He had a great love of words and learning, and could on occasion be found at his desk reading through his enormous encyclopedic dictionary.
Lee was a gentle, kind man, who preferred to absorb pain rather than render it. Though Lee’s life was abbreviated by metastasized melanoma, which was left undiagnosed and untreated until it was too late, the morals, values, work ethic, life lessons and goodness that he passed on to his children and grandchildren will live on after him, and he will be remembered, despite his protests, as a good father and a good man.
Lee’s life and service were honored with military honors at Southern Arizona Veterans' Memorial Cemetery in Sierra Vista, Arizona. His services were overseen by his son, Andrew, who now serves as a funeral director at Farnstrom Mortuary in Independence, Oregon.
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