Willard (Doug) Phipps age 88 of Mullen, passed away October 29, 2017, at Pioneer Memorial Rest Home.
Memorial services will be Friday, November 3, at the United Methodist Church in Mullen, Nebraska, at 10:00 MST, with burial services at the Nebraska Veterans Cemetery in Alliance, Nebraska, at 3:00 MST. Visitation will be held Thursday, November 2, at Mullen Funeral Home from 4:00-6:00 MST. Memorials may be given to Pioneer Memorial Rest Home, United Methodist Church, or Legion Post 109.
Doug was born in Mullen, Nebraska, to Russell and Elva (LeLaCheur) Phipps on August 8, 1929. He was the middle of three sons. He grew up on the family ranch north of Whitman, Nebraska. As a child, he enjoyed riding horses and helping with cattle work. Doug attended country school through eighth grade, and then attended the University Of Nebraska School Of Agriculture in Curtis, Nebraska, graduating in 1946. Following high school, he returned to the ranch.
Doug served in the United States Army from 1951-1953 and was stationed at Bitburg, Germany. He returned home after his military service and met Alice Dooley at a dance in Seneca. After a whirlwind romance, they were married August 18, 1954. They lived on the family ranch where Doug worked with his brothers and father and raised Hereford cattle for 46 years. Doug and Alice bought the George Marshall ranch in 1970, and they lived there for 17 years. In 1987 they sold the ranch and moved to Mullen. Doug then worked at the Vinton Feed Store for ten years.
After retiring, Doug enjoyed golfing at the Mullen course and at Sand Hills Golf Club with Don Mallory. Doug and Alice have traveled a lot, attending Hereford expos and Nebraska football games.
Doug is survived by his wife and three children: Deb (Ed) Arends, Elwood, Bev (Ken) Sestak, Bridgeport, and Bill (Robin) Phipps, Kearney, grandchildren: Brant (Courtney) Arends, Eustis, Ryan (Melissa) Sestak, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, Erin (Todd) McMullen, Elkhorn, Wrex (Stefane) Phipps, Grant, Nebraska, Wravenna (Blake) Bloomberg, Stillwater, Oklahoma, Waco (Amber) Phipps, Delphos, Kansas, and Warner Phipps, Denver, Colorado; and great-grandchildren: Angelina, Berlyn, Celia, Saylor, Saige, Cora, Brooks, Leah, Chase, Ayla, Sawyer, Wryder, Sayble, Breckyn, Berwick, Brenham, Kolby, Kyle, Alexis, and Wyatt.
Doug is also survived by sisters-in-law Beth Hammond and Trila Schoenberg, Sterling, Colorado, and brothers-in-laws Marlan (Linda) Dooley, McCook, and Ronald (Leann) Dooley, Cheyenne, Wyoming.
He was preceded in death by his parents, granddaughter Cori Schutz, brothers Leonard and Robert, sisters-in-law Ferrissa Phipps and Joyce Deterding, brother-in-law Mervin Schoenberg.
