WALTER T. PHILLIPS

Anchorage resident Walter T. Phillips Sr., 90, died June 13, 2005, at Providence Extended Care Facility. Services will take place at Witzleben's Bragaw Chapel on Tuesday, June 21, 2005, with a visitation from 5-7 p.m. and funeral services starting at 7 p.m. Officiating will be the family pastor, the Rev. Bob Lee. Burial will be at Angelus Memorial Park.

Mr. Phillips was born to Alaskans Fred and Ruth Phillips on March 26, 1915, in Seattle. He moved to Alaska in 1915, living in Valdez, Iliamna, Palmer and Anchorage. He attended Valdez High School and Tacoa Falls Bible Institute.

As a young man, he worked as a packer and electrician for several mines in the Valdez district and helped salvage disabled airplanes for Bob Reeve. From 1938 into World War II, he was a lineman for the military telegraph service.

Mr. Phillips married Lillian Scott in Valdez in 1939, and on Dec. 24, 2004, they celebrated 65 years of service to the Lord and Alaska. In 1947, he moved his family to Palmer and helped establish the Lazy Mountain Children's Home and served as a director of the home from 1952 until he retired in 1978.

Mr. Phillips was a board member of the Lazy Mountain Children's Home, Victory Bible Camp and Lazy Mountain Bible Church in Palmer. The Walter T. Phillips Fire Hall on Lazy Mountain in Palmer is named in his honor.

He was an avid collector of Alaska books and butterflies and a student of Alaska history. Mr. Phillips wrote a reference book on the history of early roadhouses of the Richardson Highway.

His family said, "Walter was a loving and gentle man, noted for his quiet wisdom and understanding. He lived a wonderful, rewarding and productive life."

Mr. Phillips is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Walter Jr. and Gail Phillips; grandchildren, Robin Phillips, and Kim and Evan Griffith, and great-grandson, Scott Griffith, all of Anchorage; Ruth and Bob Craft of South Bend, Ind., and their children, Matthew Craft of Columbus, Ohio, Rebecca Craft of South Bend, and Deborah Craft of Chicago, and Patty and Gary Folger and their children, Ray, Duane and Amy Folger, all of Fairbanks. He was preceded in death by his parents, Fred and Ruth Phillips; wife, Lillian Phillips, and brother, Lynn Phillips.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Anchorage Pioneer Home Continuing Education Fund for 2-N Staff, 923 W. 11th Ave., Anchorage, AK 99501.

Arrangements were provided by Witzleben Family Funeral Home.