In Memory ~ Bob Phillip

In Memory ~ Bob Phillip

Robert R. Phillip, 96, of Hermosa SD died Saturday, July 21, 2018 at the Rapid City Hospice House.

Public memorial services will be held on Saturday, August 25, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. at the Masonic Lodge in Hermosa SD.

Graveside services will be held at the Alliance Cemetery in Alliance NE on Saturday, September 15, at 2:00 p.m., followed by a gathering of family and friends at the Masonic Lodge in Alliance NE.

A memorial has been established by the family.

Born: September 10, 1921 in Springview NE.

Death: July 21, 2018 in Rapid City SD.




The obituary:
Robert R. Phillip September 10, 1921 - July 21, 2018 
Robert R. "Bob" Phillip, 96, of Hermosa, and formerly of Alliance and Scottsbluff, Neb., finished his work on Saturday, July 21, 2018. The third of four sons, he was born on Sept. 10, 1921, to Willie Walter and Alma Mary (Vifquain) Phillip on their Springview, Neb., farm. Their lives on the farm were chronicled in black and white photos taken by Alma and published in book form in 1978, "Next Year Country." They lost the farm in 1934, a sad but common occurrence of the time. The family moved to Alliance and applied themselves to whatever work they could find. 

During his school years, Bob delivered newspapers and worked as a stockboy for Rhoad's, an upscale ladies' wear emporium. Bob became a carpenter at the age of 5 when he built a pen for a runt piglet from a wooden apple crate. While still in high school, he worked for a carpenter who, after Bob's near- disastrous encounter with a gasoline engine-powered table saw, gave him the first rule for a successful career - "If you don't understand machinery, leave it alone." His children heard that phrase a lot while growing up, and now Bob's grandkids hear it, too. 

Across the street and a few houses down from their home in Alliance lived a family named Colling. Bob met the daughter of that house, Alma Bernadine "Be," and watched her roller skate and play jacks with her friends "until they nearly wore a hole in the sidewalk." Bob and Be graduated together from Alliance High School in 1938. 

With the beginning of World War II, Bob enlisted in the Navy in February, 1942, and was sent to basic training and carpentry school in Tiburon, Calif., where he was rated Carpenter's Mate 1st class. That summer, Be Colling and her sister-in-law took the train from Alliance to California, ostensibly to visit Be's brother Floyd, also in the Navy. In later years, Be's mother said, "We knew she was really going out there to marry Bob." Bob and Be married on Aug. 6, 1942, in San Francisco, where they resided until Bob was stationed at the torpedo net depot on Adak in the Aleutian Islands, and Be returned to Alliance. 

After enduring 20 months of mud, snow, ice, a constantly smoking volcano and "mosquitoes the size of B-52s" on Adak Island, he was assigned to the troop transport ship APA-120 Hinsdale. The Hinsdale delivered Marines and landing craft to Iwo Jima, and on February 23, 1945, Bob watched through the ship's gunsights while the Marines raised the last U.S. flag on Mount Suribachi. Afterwards, they transported wounded Marines to the hospital on Guam. Early on Easter Sunday morning, April 1, 1945, the Hinsdale was transporting Marines to Okinawa when a kamikaze struck the ship's boiler room at the waterline. The inrushing cold seawater caused the boiler to explode, killing all hands but one in the room at the shift change. Bob was one of the first on the scene with the damage control crew, and they managed to shore up the ship enough to slowly make their way to Ulithi Atoll for further repairs. 

After the war, Bob returned home to his growing family and his profession of carpentry, working his way up from carpenter to foreman to job superintendent. In the post-War years, he built schools, churches, homes, a college, a shopping mall and low-income housing. 

In his spare time, he built a beautiful home for his family in Alliance. In 1974, he began building and remodeling banks. On one occasion, his employer was awarded a contract to remodel a bank "only if Bob Phillip will be running the job." Bob worked in Nebraska, Idaho, South Dakota, Iowa, Missouri, Colorado and Wisconsin. He took great pride in everything he built, and it showed. 

Bob's involvement with the Masonic fraternal organization was very important to him. He was a member of the Alliance Lodge #183 for 72 years, and in that time he only missed one of their annual reunions. While attending his last reunion in November, 2017, it was speculated that he was the oldest active Mason in the Southern Jurisdiction, and most likely in the entire world. He was invested as a Knight Commander of the Court of Honour in 1981, and coroneted a 33deg Inspector General Honorary in 1991. He maintained a dual membership with the Battle River Lodge #92 in Hermosa. Bob was gratified to see his son, grandsons, great-grandson and a nephew follow him into the Masons. 

Retiring in 1987, Bob and Be bought property in Hermosa and built a home. Bob planted trees and, over the course of several years, built a dry-stone retaining wall nearly 250 feet long and up to 12 feet high. There were several occasions when Bob would return home to find a big pile of rocks for the wall in his driveway, uprooted from the hill behind his home by kids and grandkids, with a birthday or Father's Day card secured on top. He baked his favorite pineapple upside-down cakes (made the "right" way) and enormous batches of banana bread. Bob and Be traveled often, going to visit family and friends around the country, and also to World War II reunions with Bob's Hinsdale shipmates. 

Bob spent many hours in his workshop, building everything from snake cages to cat condos to beehives to a scaled-down replica of Noah's Ark. He made a beautiful curio cabinet for Be and bookshelves and computer desks for his daughters. He repaired and restored chairs and buffets and a century-old rocking horse. Everything Bob built with his huge calloused hands was built to last. The things that he repaired and restored, he found a way to make them stronger, last longer, or work better than when those things were new. All the time we worked with him in that workshop, he told us wonderful stories about his work and his life. 

Along with the joys, there were tragedies. The loss of two beloved grandchildren in 1997 devastated the family, and Bob was our rock. A few years later, Be's major heart attack left her disabled. For the next nine years until her death in 2009, Bob cared for Be at their home and taught us the true meaning of devotion. Bob's health declined over the past several months, and he died Sat., July 21, at Hospice House in Rapid City, surrounded by his children. Preceding him in death were his wife of 66 years, Bernadine; grandchildren, Deric Dietrich, Dawn Dietrich Krutzky and her husband, Joseph Krutzky; son-in-law Dallas Dietrich; and his brothers and their wives, Kenneth and Harriet, Jean and Maxine, and Leo and Zetta Phillip. He is survived by his children, Janice (Archie) Lawrence, Alliance; Don (Verlene) Phillip and Roberta (Jerry) Upton, Hermosa; Mary Dietrich, Keystone.; and Randall Phillip, Philip; grandchildren Walt and Scott Phillip, Longmont, Colo.; Terry Phillip, Box Elder; Brian Lawrence, Seattle, Wash.; Kyle Lawrence, Elm Creek, Neb.; Desirae Jesse, Murrieta, Calif.; Tom Lawrence, Fountain Hills, Ariz.; Adrian Benham, Castle Rock, Colo.; Elizabeth Williams and Alma "Callie" Upton, Hermosa; and Alex Upton, Ft. Collins, Colo.; great-grandchildren Dayn, Joey and Geoffrey Phillip; Nyx Holaday; Dylan Thompson; Henry, Carter and Emelia Lawrence; Megan and Caitlynn Jesse; Cody Williams; Gemma Upton; and Wynn and Vivian Benham; great-great-granddaughter Serena Holaday; numerous nieces and nephews; and his devoted little dog, Daisy Mae. Memorial services will be 2 p.m. Sat., Aug. 25, at Battle River Masonic Lodge #92 in Hermosa. 

Graveside services will be 2 p.m. Sat., Sept. 15, at the Alliance Cemetery, with reception and fellowship following at the Alliance Masonic Lodge #183. 

Memorials may be made to the Scottish Rite Remodeling Fund, c/o Alliance Lodge #183, P.O. Box 754, Alliance, NE 69301; Battle River Masonic Lodge #92, P.O. Box 392, Hermosa, SD 57744; Meeting the Need (a non-profit organization established by Bob's late son-in-law to benefit the disabled), 13880 Greyhound Gulch Rd., Keystone, SD 57551; or a charity of the donor's choice.

Online guestbook is available at www.osheimschmidt.com

The memorial service:

This pictures shows wooden box made for Bob and Bernadine by son, Don (with the help of Jerry Ellerman, a family friend).


Below are picture boards made by Bob's family for the memorial services:

Below are pictures of Bob through the years...

Information about Bob written by his mother (Alma Phillip)

His mother drew his hand at seven months.

Bob at a very young age.

A little older ~ climbing a fence

The Navy in the 1940's

And the uniform still fit in the 2010's

Bob, roller blading in Idaho in the 1990's

Bob when he visited Sharon and Tony in the California desert with Leo, Ray and Judi and Julie (2010's)

Bob in Dean and Becky's 1928 Model A in Lincoln (2010's)

Bob and Bill Trip

As most of you know, Bill Phillip and Bob Phillip went on a road trip from Hermosa SD to Des Moines IA and back with many stops in between, including a wedding and a memorial service for Leo Phillip.  Enjoy Bill's quotes and the many pictures he took showing us all a little more about the Phillip/Vifquain history

Here are the quotes from Bill...posted on facebook (the dates and times are when they were posted on facebook).  You should be able to double click on any picture to zoom in.

May 26, 9:53 pm
All packed and ready to leave right after work tomorrow. That will save a half hour drive home and another half hour back. Plan to drive to Bozeman, Montana and then get an early start Thursday to make it to Hermosa, SD so we can drive part way to Des Moines, Iowa. Maybe to Sioux Falls, SD and then have a short drive Friday. I was going to make the whole drive Friday but my uncle Bob called me this morning and thought we should drive part way Thursday because at his age (93) he likes (and needs) to stop a lot.

May 27, 10:31 am
Made it to Bozeman, Montana. About a 7 or 8 hour drive to my uncle's place. Then we'll see how much farther east we can drive tomorrow. That will make Friday an easy drive into Des Moines, Iowa. Good weather and only 8 miles of road construction so far. Of course that was up the mountain to Lookout pass (Idaho / Montana border) behind a long convoy of slow moving semi's.

May 28, 8:22 am

Having a good time with uncle Bob. We were going to stop in Sioux Falls, SD. but decided to keep going. Got to Sioux City Iowa and kept going. We're in Onawa, Iowa, about 2 1/2 hours from Des Moines so it will be a short drive tomorrow.  *Bill and Bob are headed to Jim Phillip's son's wedding (Nick) on May 30th in West Des Moines IA*

Heard some good stories and found out Bob and his brother Leo were both at Iwo JIma and Okinawa at the same time but didn't know it. They didn't find out until after the war was over. 

I also heard more about the kamikaze that hit his ship off Okinawa and almost sunk it. *The USS Hinsdale*

June 1, 5:51 am
Having a good time, still hearing stories from uncle Bob. My nephew asked him which one of the four boys, (Ken, Jean, Bob, and Leo) was the trouble maker. I thought this would be interesting. His immediate reply was Jean. He said he was always getting blamed for things Jean did. A picture my grandma took popped into my mind. They lived on a farm and judging from the picture it would have been in about 1924 or 1925. Jean and Bob were given the task of irrigating some trees. Bob would have been about 3 or 4 and Jean would have been about 7 or 8. They were using a kids wagon to carry the water and Jean was pulling and Bob was pushing for everything he was worth. Jean would give a little tug on the handle of the wagon causing water to splash out on Bob and he would get soaking wet, never realizing what Jean was doing. Grandma took lots of good pictures.

Of course Jean may have inherited that trait from Grandma. She made pancakes for breakfast for Bob and Leo one morning and they were complaining that they were too tough to cut even with a knife. Grandma had put some batter down, then a piece of cloth, then covered that with batter. It was April Fools day.

June 1, 2:08 pm

We made it to Lincoln, Nebraska today. Found the Nebraska History Museum but it is closed for renovation until next year. We wanted to look at some of General Vifquain's possessions, his sword, spurs, and whatever else they had. He's my GG grandfather, Bob's G grandfather. Won the Medal of Honor during the civil war. Before going any farther I should point out he fought for the north before Susanne says "bless his heart". He did actually win it, not by re-enlisting but by standing up just out of rifle range and letting them shoot at a Yankee Colonel and then charging forward before they could reload at the battle of Vicksburg.

Since the museum was closed Bob asked if I wanted to see the cemetery where the General is buried. He hadn't been there in over 40 years but did a pretty good job of almost remembering where the grave was. We went to the office and when I said we were looking for Victor Vifquain's grave they said "oh, the General". That was nice.

To put things in perspective, Bob said his Mom thought the General was an arrogant ol cuss....

Other pictures Bill took:

This was in front of the Vifquain gravestone above.

This is the back of the Vifguain gravestone above.

 This is at the base of the Vifquain gravestone (picture with Bob).  Notice the flowers scattered around.  Increase the size of the picture and look at the center plaque on the ground....Post G.A.R. 214  There seems to be a descrepancy when I looked up what this plaque meant at this site.  When you go to this site and search for Vifquain, you will find the plaque should have been 234 ???

This is beside the Vifquain gravestone (picture with Bob)






June 2, 3:08 pm
Had a good time and a steak dinner with cousins Steve and Dean and Dean's wife, Becky, in Lincoln last night. We found out that after grandma and grandpa lost the farm near Springview, Nebraska in 1934 and moved to Alliance that Bob and younger brother Leo immediately got in trouble with the truant officer. Bob had just graduated from the 8th grade in Springview and school was out there for the summer but still going on in Alliance. Bob and Leo were running around town having a good time and grandma's explanation that they had finished their grades in Springview wasn't good enough. So they ended up back in school.

June 2, 3:24 pm

We left Lincoln this morning but first Bob felt the need to visit a plumber and get his water works going again. Minor delay, in and out in about an hour and a half. Then on to Grand Island to check out a stone in the cemetery there. His aunt Lulu was buried there but without a marker so he had one made. The first one was wrong so he had it fixed and was checking to make sure it was right.

Other pictures Bill took:

 Notice the fresh flowers....there were fresh flowers on the gravestone above also.

Next stop was a museum with a lot of Vifquain memorabilia ~a testimonial to General Vifquain

 the many battles fought by General Vifquain

 Military record of General Vifquain, paid in full ~ $1584.71

 Medal of Honor certificate for General Vifquain

Signed by President Andrew Johnson






June 2, 3:29 pm

I knew we were back in the sandhills of Nebraska ~ after leaving Grand Island we went north on highway 183 and were slightly delayed.

June 2, 3:32 pm
We're in Springview, Nebraska now, near where grandma and grandpa Phillip's farm was. Bob had reservations made at a 4 unit "motel" off the main drag. We pulled up out front, went inside unit #4 that he had reserved and the key was waiting for us on the counter. It was a real surprise to find out it included wifi.

June 2, 5:52 pm

We went and had supper at the Cattleman's lounge in Springfield and realized there was no place to eat breakfast so stopped at the grocery store. Bob thought he knew someone (in a round about way) that worked there. Turns out the daughter in law of the owners is the one he knew. He use to go camping with her grandparents. The owner picked up the phone and called her and about 5 minutes later she and her family walked in the back door. Lots of talking and then her husband went home and brought back a book that showed who owned the land in the county in 1912. Sections 22, 26, 27, and 28 show the Vifquain name. Bob also recognized lots of neighbors' names. He told how Jean and Bob would walk and Grandpa Phillip carried Leo on his shoulders as they walked about a mile south to listen to the Amos and Andy radio show on a neighbor's radio.

He told how Grandpa Phillip cut big blocks of ice from the creek running through section 28, put it in the ice house and covered it with straw and sawdust and that they still had ice the next fall.

June 3 ~ Bob and Bill were at the Burton cemetery looking at more family gravestones.  As much as I know, the genealogy goes something like this:
Lillie (born about 1855) married Peter John Phillip (parents of Willie Walter Phillip) 
Maggie (daughter, sister of Willie Walter) born 1882 (Son, Benjamin Palmer, born and died, 1915)
L. W. Palmer (Maggie's husband)
Louie (son of Maggie) born 1904
Helen (daughter of Maggie) born 1911
Helen married August C Spann (born 1906

Verde Hope Spann born and died 1917

Lillie Phillip (notice the spelling on the gravestone).

Gravestone of Benjamin Palmer, I believe (It looks as if the P and R of Palmer are missing)

Gravestone of Peter Phillip

June 4, 6:36 am

At the Willie Walter Phillip farm ~ The entrance to the storm cellar

June 4, 6:36 am

Inside the storm cellar

June 5, 7:43 am
Uncle Bob knows how to fix a good breakfast. Yesterday, sausage, eggs, hash browns and toast. Today it was cold cereal but with real milk, not the watered down some percent something or other. And some half and half to make the milk a little richer. Good stuff!

June 6, 8:09 pm
All good things must come to an end. Today was the funeral service for Uncle Leo. Had a good time with family before and after. Head for home tomorrow morning.

June 7, 6:55 pm
Home, a little under 2000 miles on my car and a little over 2000 miles on Bob's car. The closest thing to an accident was about 25 miles from home. A group of cars merging on to the freeway so I moved over to the left. One car swerved all the way over to get in the left lane. I braked hard and about that time he stuck his head out the window and looked back. Darwin will find him eventually.

Family Reunion, Labor Day, September 2, 3, 4, 2011

Phillip Family Reunion, Labor Day Week-end, September 2, 3, and 4, 2011

From all indications, the Phillip family reunion was a roaring success!!  Because of the huge turnout (88 family members), this reunion was the largest attendance of any Phillip family reunion.


All the photos here and more can be found on the Walmart site.  You need to sign up to see them, but there is no charge.  I have put the pictures in four folders

• Friday 
• Saturday
• Saturday posed pictures
• Sunday

I have to mention the ten people responsible for the organization and manpower that put this reunion together.


Judy and Larry Mann
Cory and Sherry Mann
Jared and Melanie Mann
Janice and Archie Lawrence
Tony and I


I think I can speak for all ten of us when I say that we had the most fun ~ watching all our family members have a great time was so rewarding!  

But...then you have to see this picture of Judy ~ on Thursday afternoon before events began.  Tony and I spent eleven days with all of the Mann family prior to the reunion keeping Judy calm...obviously we did a good job!!

Front row:  Bill, Dean, Jim, Paul
Middle row:  Ray, Jary, Don, Steve, Dick, Randy
Back row:  Julie, Judy, Janice, Sharon, Lynelle, Mary, Roberta

One of the best things about the reunion was getting all of the 17 cousins in one location (shown in picture above)....if anyone knows the last time this happened, let me know.

FRIDAY

Relatives began arriving by 2 pm on Friday afternoon...we had let everyone know that if they came earlier than 2 pm, they would have to help....funny how no one showed up before 2 pm!!

Janet, Randy, Jim, Ray, Judi

A BBQ was held at the Mann ranch around 6 pm.  

Mom and Paul handed out the souvenir wooden "penny boxes" (made by Bill) as everyone entered the garage to fill their plates.  

Other Side

One Side

Along about the same time, in another line, Don and Bob were handing out their souvenir memento, "Bingo" medallions and wooden holders.

Leo, Jared, Cory, Bob

After everyone had eaten and just as the last family arrived for the event, Jean, Bob, and Leo were ushered down to the large barn.  The 1927 Dodge car (formerly belonging to Willie Phillip and now owned by Jared Mann) was unveiled. The Mann family and Tony and I had discussed at length and decided that Leo should be the "brother" to drive the car up through the unsuspecting crowd.  As soon as the car was unveiled, Jared said "OK, which one of you boys are driving?...Leo, do you want to drive?".  Immediately, Jean spoke up "I'm driving....(hesitation)...I'm the oldest".  Needless to say, who was going to argue with "the oldest"! (quotes taken from Tony's video ~ turn up your volume to hear Jean speak).

And....Jean drove.....at one point he drove a little fast ~ scaring a few people and making the crowd roar with laughter ~ Jennifer's video is living proof (pictured Bob, Leo, Jean).  See 5 minute video of this drive/ride by Jennifer Shatel.

Ray, Cally, Bill

As the car made its way into the crowd, all family members were given the Phillip Reunion book (put together by Paul).  Inside each book was a note assigning each person to a one hour time slot to help Janice, Judy and myself throughout the three-day event.  The first assignment was for Ray to give rides in the car to anyone who wanted a ride.  Later, the car was available to anyone who wanted to drive it.  It was amazing how much help you all were ~ everyone reported for duty at their designated time ~ without your help, we would never have made it through the days.  Thank you!!

Cory, Don, Sharon, Jared, Larry

Jared and I took the last Friday night ride in the car...the car stalled...as Jared called Cory for help on his cell phone and I called Melanie for help on my cell phone, Jared told me "If the cops come, we're jumping out and going in the corn field".  I assured him I would be right behind him!

Kelly

Jim

Cally and Don

More entertainment Friday night was when Judy brought out her stilts ~ pictures are of Jim, Kelly, and Don all taking a turn.  I also took my turn, but didn't take many steps before falling down....sorry, no one got a picture of this.


The shooting range was in full swing on Friday evening....thanks again to the Mann's inventory of guns, shells, targets, and clay pigeons (skeets).

SATURDAY

Saturday began at 8 am at the Newberry's building with a continental breakfast served for everyone by the hourly helpers, Janet and Cindy.

The car was brought into town and parked in front of Newberry's for anyone's use.

Bob

"Bingo" the 100 year old horse was loaned by Roberta and brought down by Bob for the event.

Judy, Kathie, Brittany, Ray

This is a picture of some relatives at the continental breakfast.

I posed this picture because of the boys' names (Cody Kenneth, Ken's great grandson; and Cody Robert, Robert's great grandson).

Lunch was served between 11 and 1 ~ A reception was planned between 2 and 5 for friends to drop by to see the honored guests:

Jean and Maxine, celebrating their 70th anniversary in 2011.

Harriet, celebrating her 90th birthday

Bob, celebrating his 90th birthday

Leo, honored guest of the event

Brittany, Jennifer, Callie

Kelly, Melanie, Liz

Cake, punch, mints, and nuts were served; a guest table was set up to welcome guests.


Because Nebraska was playing football, the Manns came to the rescue (again!) and set up a TV and satellite dish ~ many Phillips watched the game as well as many of the reception guests.

Tony was assigned to take pictures of any family groups between 5 and 6.  Jim was assigned to line up the people in each photo.  Mary provided T-shirts for her sisters, Roberta, Janice, and herself with "I can't remember if I'm the good sister or the evil one".  They wore the shirts most of the afternoon.

Here is a picture of family members taking pictures of posed pictures and Judy trying to make the little ones smile!


A table was set up with the kindergarten cousin pictures that Grandma Alma always had hanging in her home, the parchesi game that many of us older ones remember playing that Grandpa Willie had made, two laptops running slide shows of many older family photos (Tony's and Verlene's).  Verlene donated a DVD of the "Next Year Country" book and Mary brought many extras of the book for anyone to take a copy.

One table in the afternoon entertained themselves playing cards.  Younger kids were entertained on the back table with a TV, video games and videos.  Although I did hear that at one point that Cody Wilson entertained several of the young ones by climbing up the plumbing pipes in the downstairs bathroom.


Bob also provided some entertainment by having Daisy May do her tricks.  Here is a five minute video that Tony took a couple of years ago of Daisy May's tricks.

Janice and I outside; I have one shoe off ~ possibly "tired feet"!

Supper was served in the Newberry's building and then the bar was officially opened with monetary donations from Cory and Jared which started a rush to see who could put the most money in the "tip jar".  With donations, the Phillip Family were kept in drinks the whole evening.....thank you to all the donators!

SUNDAY

Sunday brunch was held at Janice and Archie's.  Janice is the only cook of the three of the organizers ~ she did a fantastic job with the brunch.

Bill is showing bottle stoppers that he is making to Bob, Don, and Lynelle ~ believe many family members left with one of them.

After brunch many of the family members went back out to the Mann's.  The shooting range was again in full swing.

There was another BBQ provided with all the leftover food (Roberta and Julie shown here).

"Milking the cow" provided entertainment for the younger ones.

A few got in the back seat of "the car" for a different kind of ride (Judy driving; Bill and I in the back).

And...here is a picture of your three organizers...late Sunday afternoon (almost all of us still smiling)!

This is a picture after everyone left ~ the guns laid out in Judy and Larry's kitchen.

The targets (with Keaton standing by)

The cans














Front page of guest book.

These are the pages from the guest book, in case anyone is interested.

This is the email sent to all family members on October 24, 2011.

WOW…what a reunion.  Thank you everyone for attending.  Without you, the reunion would not have been the huge success that we think it was.  Larry Mann is ready to have another one soon…I don’t think Judy Mann feels quite ready yet though.

It was great to have all 17 of our generation altogether  ~ does anyone want to guess how long it has been since we have all been in the same place ~ probably a Thanksgiving a long time ago!! 

I have put pictures up on Walmart’s website.  Most of them are ones Tony and I took, but some are from others that I have gotten through emails.  When you go to the website, if you don’t have a Walmart password, you may need to sign up for one, but it is free.  I have separated the pictures into Friday, Saturday, Saturday posed pictures, and Sunday. 

The blog has links to two “youtube” videos ~ one of Jean saying “I’m driving”, and one of the runaway car.

We certainly have to thank all the Mann family for our access to “the car”.  They went to a lot of expense (time and money) to make sure “the car” could be unveiled on Friday night…and what an unveiling it turned out to be.

Thank you, Janice and Judy for all your help in organizing this reunion.  I’ve found that if more than one person is organizing the reunion, the reunion is better ~ this one was at least three times better than any we have ever had before!!!  Thanks Archie, Larry, and Tony for putting up with us while we made everything happen with your help.

Thanks to everyone who “worked” their hour to help us ~ it was amazing how everyone reported in at their scheduled time ~ without your help it would have been impossible (translated to “a disaster”).

Thanks to Bob and Don for the medallions and medallion stands ~ nice memento for the reunion ~ even though they chose to keep me from knowing what they were making!  Thanks, Bob and Roberta, for loaning and bringing “Bingo”, the infamous horse and showing Daisy Mae’s tricks to many attending.

Thanks to Bill’s woodwork and Mom’s checkbook everyone again received a “penny box” memento ~ a tradition started by Dad.

Thanks to Paul for putting the reunion booklet together and printing the labels for the “penny boxes”.  Unfortunately one error has been found (Jennifer’s daughter’s last names should all be Shatel, not Phillip ~ Sarah, Kate and Anna)

Cory, Sherry, Jared and Melanie went above and beyond the call of duty to help Judy, Larry, Tony and I for two weeks before the reunion (of course, they had no choice.  When Judy spoke, we all jumped)!!!

We have to thank all of you who left sizeable cash donations.  Janice, Judy and I were so pleased to plan the reunion at our expense so no one would feel they couldn’t attend because of a reunion charge.  We were even more pleased on Sunday when all of you started showing your appreciation!!! 

There were also a few donations in the way of food provided or brought for different meals.  Thank you.

Mary insisted she donate ~ I said I would send her a bill (thought about shipping Bill to her)…however, I wouldn’t take her donation when we returned from our five weeks in UK because our bills were all taken care of by your generous donations.  Also, thanks to Mary ~ anyone who wanted a “Next Year Country” book should now have their own copy.  Verlene had CD copies of the book available also. 

And last but not least ~ the Newberry building ~ the event turned out great at this central location.  The evening “tip jar” was fed regularly by many of you.  Thank you for the generous tips which gave us free access to the bar all evening.

Found after reunion was over:

·       Ear phones ~ used during the shooting gallery at Mann’s

·       Umbrella found

·       Pair of brown shorts

Let me know if these belong to anyone.  Thanks.

And now….go to the Phillip Blog for more information….enjoy!

The Phillip Blog