William “Bill” Francis Phillips, Emporia
1933 - 2008
William “Bill” Francis Phillips, 928 Homewood St., died Tuesday, March 11, 2008, at Newman Regional Health. He was 74.
Mr. Phillips was a professor of geography at Emporia State University for 30 years. Earlier, he taught and was principal of schools in Emporia, Bushong, Corning and Sedgwick County. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War and was stationed in Germany.
The son of William C. and Frances Price Phillips, he was born Oct. 25, 1933, at Reading. He graduated from Reading High School in 1951 and was valedictorian of his class. He graduated from Kansas State Teachers College in Emporia with bachelor’s and master’s degrees and from the University of Kansas with a doctorate in geography.
He married Marylee Kiene Phillips on April 19, 1958, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church. She survives.
Mr. Phillips was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church and a charter member of the Sacred Heart Church Parish Council. He was a longtime member of the Lyon County Zoning Board of Appeals, past president of the ESU Faculty Senate, past president of the Sacred Heart School PTA, past president of the Emporia Area Retired School Personnel and a member of two bridge clubs. He received the 2007 Sunflower Award for community service from the Kansas Association of Retired School Personnel.
He is also survived by one daughter, Mary Kay Woods of Ottawa; one son, Mark Phillips of Wichita; a sister, Mary Irene Johnson of Olpe; five grandchildren, of whom one, Molly Woods, lives in Emporia; and one great-granddaughter.
The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Saturday at Sacred Heart Catholic Church. The Rev. Darren Henson will be the celebrant. The prayer service will at 7 p.m. Friday at the church, after which the family will meet friends. Burial will be in Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery.
Memorial contributions to the William F. “Bill” Phillips Scholarship at Emporia State University may be sent in care of the Roberts-Blue-Barnett Funeral Home, P.O. Box 175, Emporia, KS 66801.