Richard (Dick) Phillips

Richard (Dick) Phillips

Dec. 21, 1925 - June 1, 2019

SAN ANTONIO, Texas — Mr. Richard (Dick) Phillips passed away on 1 June 2019, at the age of 93.

He was pre-deceased by his wife, Betty, of 67 years and daughter, Hollis Ann.

He is survived by his daughters, Kathleen Maercklein, Debra Phillips and her husband, Stephen Ansley, Lisa Garza and son, Richard W. Phillips and his wife, Emily Phillips. He also had eight grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren.

Dick was born on Dec. 21, 1925, in Naperville, Ill., to Matie and William Phillips, and spent his early years there. During World War II (1944) he joined the U.S. Army. He trained in Texas and Illinois. In 1945, he was stationed at McCook Army Base, Nebraska, where he met and fell in love with Betty Lou O’Dea. They were married in August 1946.

After leaving the Army in 1947, the couple moved to Ames, Iowa, where Dick attended Iowa State College and graduated in 1950 with a bachelors of science in mechanical engineering. He then entered the U.S. Air Force and trained at Lackland AFB Texas. In 1952, he and Betty and their two daughters moved to California where their third daughter was born. Dick served as a navigator during the Korean Conflict in 1952 and 1953. The family moved back to Texas for a tour at Kelly AFB. Dick was then picked to teach ROTC at Southern Illinois University. In 1956, their fourth daughter was born. In 1957, he was again stationed in California at Mather AFB. In December 1957, their son was born. In 1959, Dick was sent on an unaccompanied tour to Saudi Arabia for one year. In 1962, Dick entered Stanford University and graduated in 1964 with a M.S. in Industrial Engineering. In 196, Dick was assigned to Little Rock AFB Arkansas and then to Vietnam in 1967.

He retired as a Major from the Air Force after 20 years in 1968 and moved to Wisconsin for one year, but he and Betty decided to move to Texas in 1969 where they remained through his 20 years in Civil Service at Randolph AFB and then for the rest of their lives.

Dick was an avid golfer and enjoyed the game up through his mid-80s, spending many days at his local neighborhood nine-hole course. He and Betty enjoyed dancing and traveling. He was a devoted family man and generous and loving husband and father, whose honesty and integrity served as a fine example to all who knew him.