Donald D Phillips

Donald D. Don Phillips, age 79, East Moline, IL, the widower of Dorothy Ellis of Clark, died in a Rock Island, IL medical center on Thursday, May 27, 2010. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, June 2, 2010 at 2PM in the Furness Funeral Home Chapel at Clark with the Reverend Robin Schaunaman officiating. Burial with full military honors provided by the Smith-Cagley American Legion Post #60 of Clark and the South Dakota Army National Guard will follow at Rose Hill Cemetery at Clark. Music will be presented by Dorothy Fuller as pianist with Greg Furness as soloist. Casketbearers will be Darryl Lewis, Alan, Dale, Dala and Ann Albright. Visitation will be held at 9AM on Wednesday at the funeral home chapel and will continue until service time. He was born, Donald Duane Phillips, on May 15, 1931, the son of William and Viola F. (McDowell), at Huron, SD. He graduated from Miller High School in 1949. In 1950 he enlisted in the U. A. Army Infantry division and served his country until 1952. He attended Nettleton College in Sioux Falls before moving there in 1955. In 1957, he was united in marriage to Dorothy Ellis, daughter of Mabel and Albert Ellis of Clark. She died on May 19, 1966 and is buried in Rose Hill Cemetery at Clark. Over the years, Don cooked in the Army in Canada, installed tile and linoleum, worked for Coca Cola and then became a deputy Sheriff in Eau Claire, WI. He retired in 1985 after 20 years on the force. While living in Wisconsin, Don was a member of the Eau Claire Jaycees serving and holding various offices, the Wisconsin Sheriffs Association, the N.W. Wisconsin Peace officers Assn., and was an honorary member of the Teamsters Local 662 in Wisconsin. After his retirement, he moved to Texas to be a winter Texan. He enjoyed tinkering with electronics and computers and loved most music. Don enjoyed spending time with his cat Missy and his family and friends. He will long be remembered as a Packer Backer and enjoyed traveling and camping. In 2006 he moved to Mississippi and was very involved with groups with his church family, The Congregation of Real Life Church in Corinth, Mississippi. Don moved to Illinois in 2008. After his move to Illinois, he met and had a relationship with his new best friend and neighbor, Marion Hough. Preceding him in death was the love of his life, Dorothy in 1966, his mother, Viola Haley of Sioux Falls, a grandson, Cody in 2005 at the age of 17. Grateful for having shared in his life are his children, daughter, Pam Jenkins of Moline, IL and son Tim Phillips of Fond du Lac, WI, a grandson, Louis (Stephanie) VanDeCasteele of Moline, IL, a special friend, Marion Hough of East Moline, IL, 7 step-children, Kathy, Rose, Rodney, Tonia, Rhonda, Mary and Ann. On-line registry at www.furnessfuneralhome.com