Ray Frank Philley

Ray Frank Philley, a longtime resident of Victoria, Texas passed from this life on July 28, 2019 in Del Rio, Texas at the age of 88. He was born in Abilene, Texas on November 29, 1930 to the late George and Hattie Withrow Philley. He grew up in the Hamby community around Abilene and attended Abilene schools. He moved to Big Spring, Texas in 1947 and graduated there. He worked for Texas Electric Service Company and attended Howard County Junior College.

While in Big Spring, he met and married Peggy Carter in January 1952. They moved to Forsan, Texas where Frank went to work for Continental Oil Company. Following a brief transfer to Lynch, Wyoming, the family moved back to Abilene. Frank was employed at Dyess AFB as an electrician before he was offered employment with the Sun Oil Company. The family moved back to Forsan, Texas, then briefly to Eden in 1967, before Sun Oil Company transferred Frank to Victoria as a Production Foreman. Frank spent seventeen years in Victoria working in the oilfield. In 1984 Frank and Peggy moved to Corpus Christi, Texas. Frank retired in 1986 and moved to Mountain Home near Kerrville, Texas. Frank embraced retirement as he and Peggy lived in the Hill Country and became goat farmers for the next decade. Frank loved being outdoors, raising goats and spending time with family. Frank and Peggy then moved to Bandina, Texas in 1997. They returned to Victoria, Texas in 2007. Before a brief time in Del Rio, Frank was a resident of AlzCare of DeWitt County in Cuero, Texas. Frank was a member of the Church of Christ, and more than anything loved God and Christ’s church. He served throughout his life as a teacher, song leader, deacon, and elder in the many congregations he attended.

Frank is survived by his wife of 67 years, Peggy; daughters Jennifer Honea of Del Rio and Paula Baker and husband Jimmy of Victoria; son Timothy Philley and wife Kimberly of Robert Lee; son-in-law Wayne Hawkins and wife Carolyn of Bowie; grandchildren Amy Childress of Del Rio, Melissa Fitzgerald and husband Sean of Corpus Christi, Lisa Garcia and husband Joe of Del Rio, Brent Hawkins and wife April of Nashville, TN, Lindsey Baker of Victoria, Laura Greene and husband Mike of Austin, Sarah Headrick and husband Rob of Sweetwater, and Logan Philley of Robert Lee; great grandchildren Colby Childress and wife Skye of Lubbock, Brian Ponce, Conner, Audrey, and Benjamin Fitzgerald, Kaitlyn and Jayden Garcia; nieces Glenda Wray and husband Rudy of Gresham, Oregon, Edie Philley of Coquille, Oregon, Patty Letart of Irving, Texas, and Barbara Zimmerman and husband Granville of Bedford, Texas.

He was preceded in death by his parents, son Ray Frank Philley, Jr.; daughter Pamela Hawkins; son-in law Jerry Honea; brothers George Preston Philley, Jr. and wife Jonnie and C.L. Philley; sisters Mary Chilton and Hattie Doris Murphy; nephews George Eldon Philley, and L. D. Spain.

The Visitation will be at 1:00pm at Elliott Hamil Funeral Home, 5701 US Hwy 277 South, Abilene, Texas on Friday, August 2, 2019. Funeral Service will follow at 2:00pm. Burial will be at the Abilene Municipal Cemetery.