Charlene Phillips

Funeral services for Charlene Drywater-Phillips will be held on Friday, February 14th, 2020 at Calvary Indian Baptist Church at 1:00 PM with Brother Larry McKinney officiating. Her family will have a Wake Service for Charlene on Thursday, February 13th, 2020 beginning at 6:00 PM until 8:00 PM at Reed-Culver Funeral Home. She will be laid to rest at Barber Cemetery next to her family. Online condolences for her family may be left at www.reedculver.com.

Pallbearers for Charlene include Val Drywater, Calvin Hooper, Darrick Phillips, Raymond Sowards, Olin Williams, and Darrin Phillips. Her Honorary Pallbearers include Bill Blair, Gary Leach, Raymond Fourkiller, and Gary Daney.

Charlene Drywater-Phillips was born on Friday, July 4th, 1958 in Tahlequah, OK, the daughter of Lee and Irene (Hooper) Drywater. She grew up with four brothers, James Howard, Paul Eugene, Chuck and David Gene. AT the age of eighteen, she became a Christian, dedicating her life to the Lord, serving Him all the days of her life. She would meet and marry her best friend and the love of her life, Bob Phillips, and they would be joined in Holy Matrimony on November 26th, 1976 at the New Life Indian Baptist Church in Tulsa, OK. Together they would raise one son and two daughters, Robert, Sarah, and Missy Joy. The family traveled extensively, spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ and bringing the Message of Good News to all who would listen. Charlene always did her part, Singing Gospel music in Cherokee, Choctaw, English, whatever was needed. She taught Sunday school, and even taught herself to play the piano, so she could help others. She did marvelous skit work, and devoted her life to educating others. She taught in the Elementary Christian Schools, and also learned sign language to better assist the students with special needs. She was an excellent cook, especially of the Native traditional dishes, like fry bread and potato sandwiches. She was always up to travel and had seen 29 of the 50 states. The family had a Gospel Music Group and would travel to wherever they were needed to perform, all for the glory of God. On July 1st, 1990, they moved to Colville and started two Baptist Churches on the reservation, watching both of them flourish with time. Charlene was always happy, always smiling, always putting herself ahead of others. Her few indulgences included watching boxing on TV, or perhaps watching the Seattle Sea Hawks or the Oklahoma Sooner play football. She was the perfect wife, mother and grandmother, gentle and understanding, but not above showing you her sterner side as well! Her heart and will was strong, unfortunately not so her body. The Lord called this faithful servant and guiding influence home from her labors on Saturday, February 8th, 2020 in Tulsa, OK, with her loved ones by her side. She was 61 years old. She has touched so many lives and made the world a better place.

She is preceded in death by her grandparents, Roy and Nanny Handle-Hooper, her mother and father, one daughter, Missy Joy Rogers, and her brother, Paul Drywater.

Those left to cherish her memory include her husband of 43 years, Bob Phillips of the home, and two children, Robert E. Phillips and wife Whitney of Nespelem, WA, and Sarah Lynn Bartholomew and husband Chris of Spokane, WA.She also leaves three brothers, James Shores of Bartlesville, OK, Chuck Drywater of Tulsa, and David Drywater and wife Tracy of Oologah, OK. There is one sister-in-law, Cora Drywater of Tulsa, OK. Charlene lives on in her eight grandchildren, Daniel Lickfold, Kaitlyn Lickfold, Jolie Lickfold, Aston Rogers, Kanaan Rogers, and Joseph Cavasos all of Spokane and Alex Phillips and River Phillips both of Nespelem, WA. There are also many nieces, nephews, cousins and a host of friends and students, far too numerous to mention