Donald Lee Phillips

“Seeing is believing.” For many, those words simply represent a motto. But for Donald Lee Phillips, it summarized in every way who he was. He was modest, quiet and observant, taking in everything around him and always thinking before acting. He was a realist, someone who was efficient and practical in everything he did. He was a friendly person who truly cared about those around him.

Donald was born on March 30, 1936 at Granite City, Illinois. He was the son of Virgil and Mary Phillips. Raised in Granite City, Illinois, he was brought up to be tolerant and trustworthy. As a child, he learned to be conscientious, responsible and punctual. These were all traits that he would carry with him throughout his life.

As a young boy, Donald was always aware of how others around him felt and this quality served him well. With a deep capacity to tolerate the feelings of others, Donald was generally able to avoid conflicts. It seemed as if Donald was the family member who was always working to keep stress at bay. Preferring a quiet environment where he could concentrate, Donald also had the ability to relate well with his family and friends. Donald was raised with five siblings. He had one sister Betty, and four brothers Virgil "Sonny", Bill, Bob and Kenny Dale. Donald was constantly involved in activities with his family. Donald and his siblings had the typical rivalries while growing up but they deeply cared for each other and shared many life experiences over the years.

Growing up, Donald was one of those children who didn’t need to be in the center of a whirlwind of activity. He was content to entertain himself. Donald was never pushy when it came to games and other activities, but rather, he was able to enjoy the pure fun these could bring. In just about everything he did as a child, Donald was intent on pleasing both the adults and the other children around him. Donald took part in a number of activities as a child. He took part in ice skating and roller skating. In his spare time he liked swimming.

Donald enjoyed learning. He always had a great memory and was particularly skilled at retaining factual information. Donald was generally quiet in class, learning best through observation. He often showed great concentration and was competent at completing the tasks at hand. Good with details, Donald was painstaking and accurate in his efforts. All of these talents culminated in a successful high school career. He graduated from Granite City High School in 1948. Donald enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite subjects and teachers.

Love can’t be defined but must be experienced. That was so true for Donald. On September 30, 1990 Donald married Remedios L. Millare at a Civil Ceremony in Mesa, Arizona. He was totally committed to Remi and maintained traditional ideals about marriage. It was as if Donald naturally sensed his spouse’s needs, and accepted those feelings unconditionally. Although Donald disliked conflict, he did not take flight from discord, but rather sought to preserve harmony even during the most trying times.

Donald was a good father to his children. He had “old fashioned” parental values and could handle typical family conflicts in a fair and calm manner. Because he trusted emotions, Donald was reluctant to force issues and used gentle persuasion to resolve situations. In this way he seemed to radiate an aura of warmth and caring to those around him, always thinking before acting. In addition, Donald was a master planner. No matter how hectic life around him might be, he seemed to know and track everyone’s schedule. Donald was blessed with three children; two sons, Donald and David and one daughter, Margorie. He was also blessed with three grandchildren, Brett, Tiffany and Justin.

If you gave Donald a deadline, he would meet it. At work, Donald was always on task. Without hesitation, Donald could adhere to any assignment and see it through to its completion. His primary occupation was a support technician for Aerospace. He was employed with Honeywell, Boeing, Garret, and Allied Signal. During that time, Donald excelled in working with small groups in order to complete assignments. He was able to quickly grasp concrete ideas and could organize and plan the best way to accomplish things with remarkable consistency. Donald was good at staying on track and was considerate in listening to what others had to say. In this way, Donald had a true gift for being able to come up with practical resolutions to difficult problems. He was often the team member who managed to put forth a win/win solution for all parties.

Donald was an Air Force veteran. He seemed to thrive on the routines offered up by the military. Being a literal thinker with a calm exterior helped him handle the rigors of the military. He spent part of his service stationed in France. Donald saw action in the Korean Conflict. Through his hard work and dedication, he achieved the rank of Airman 2nd Class. He received several awards including a National Defense Service Medal and Good Conduct Medal.

Donald liked to experience things first hand, in addition to simply learning about them. This quality influenced Donald's choice of leisure time activities. A methodical and patient worker, Donald preferred to set aside uninterrupted time to work on his hobbies. His favorite pursuits were golfing. Donald was content to sit quietly alone, enjoying his hobbies all by himself and could often be found just reading about his favorite pastimes.

While thorough and measured in his approach to things, Donald often liked to physically do things rather than just think about them. He was like that with sports. Recreational sports included golfing. He also enjoyed the statistical data and the facts behind the sports. In this way, he was something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching his favorite teams whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list were football, wrestling and car racing.

An individual who respected and maintained traditional values, his faith was important to Donald. His compassion, consideration and sympathy toward others was evident in his personal beliefs. He was a member of Holy Spirit Catholic Church for 25 years.

Doing things to help others seemed to come naturally to Donald. He never set out to gain individual recognition, but the praise and accolades given him for his many and varied efforts throughout his life were well deserved. Some of his most prestigious awards included outstanding achievement awards from Allied Signal.

Anyone who traveled or went on vacation with Donald had smooth sailing. It was often taken for granted that he was the trip planner. He would start early and examine all of the possibilities, selecting the best and most effective options. Favorite vacations included visiting the Phillapines.

Donald had Lucky, his dog, who was his best friend for 3 years. His family was rounded out by his two dogs sissy and sassy. Donald was as loyal to his pets as they were to him.

When Donald's retirement finally arrived in 1997, he was well prepared. He had taken the time to learn about his various options and chose his course wisely. His new life involved relocating to Mesa, Arizona. Even in retirement, Donald continued to stay in touch with his old friends while making plenty of new acquaintances. He was active in the community and felt fulfilled with the opportunities retirement offered him.

Donald passed away on January 16, 2015 at Banner Desert Medical Center in Mesa, Arizona. Donald fought a brave battle against leukemia. He is survived by his wife Remi; his three children Donald, David and Margorie; his grandchildren Brett, Tiffany and Justin; and many friends and family. Services were held at Lakeshore Mortuary Chapel and Holy Spirit Catholic Church.

It is said that some people can’t see the forest for the trees. Donald was able to focus on each individual tree, tending to its needs, thus making the forest stronger as a whole. Donald was a trustworthy, pragmatic and sympathetic person, the kind of man to whom everyone was drawn. He was thorough and practical. Donald Phillips was very literal with his words. You always knew where you stood with Donald. He will be missed.

Donald's visitation will be held on Wednesday, January 21 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. with a scripture service at 7:00 p.m. at Lakeshore Mortuary, 1815 S. Dobson Road, Mesa, AZ 85202.

The Funeral Mass will be held Thursday, January 22 at 10:00 a.m. with a viewing at 9:30 a.m. at Holy Spirit Catholic Church, 1800 E. Libra Dr., Tempe, AZ 85283.

A reception will be held at Holy Spirit Catholic Church following the funeral services.

Lakeshore Mortuary

1815 S. Dobson Road

Mesa, AZ 85202

For further assistance please contact 480-838-5639.