Frederick A. Phillips II, 88, a lifelong Baker City resident, died July 17, 2009, at St. Elizabeth Health Services.
His memorial service will be Thursday, July 23 at 2 p.m. at the First Church of the Nazarene, 1250 Hughes Lane. Pastor Dave Deputy of Calvary Baptist Church will officiate. Friends are invited to join the family for a reception at the Baker County Community Event Center, 2600 East St., after the service.
Cremation was done by Eastern Oregon Pioneer Crematory. Private entombment will be at Mount Hope Cemetery mausoleum.
Frederick A. Phillips II was born on Jan. 30, 1921, at Baker City to Wayne Everett Phillips Sr. and Ara Vatel Chisum Phillips. He grew up on the cattle ranch his grandfather acquired in 1905, where he remained most of his life. Fred attended Baker High School, New Mexico Military Institute and the University of Oregon.
Fred proudly served our country in the U.S. Air Force during World War II, flying a P-47 Thunderbolt fighter plane running search-and-rescue missions in the Pacific. He was discharged as a captain in 1945.
While stationed in San Antonio, Texas, he met Willeva Halsell. They were married in 1946 and had three children: Frederick III, Polly, and Adam. When he returned to the home ranch, he entered into a partnership with his father, Wayne Sr. and his brother, Wayne Jr., running the Phillips Ranch.
Fred and Willeva were married for 49 years, until her death in 1995. He was later married to Lavern A. Hindman for nine years before she passed away in 2005.
Fred was very active in civic and community affairs as well as county, state and national beef industry programs. He was past president of the Baker County Farm Bureau and served on the board of directors on the Baker Chamber of Commerce. Fred was also president of Oregon Cattlemen’s Association, director of the American National Cattlemen’s Association and served on their Executive Committee, chairman of the Oregon Livestock Advisory Committee, commissioner for the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission, and board member for SOLVE. He also served on the Oregon Agriculture Research Foundation, Oregon State Livestock Disease Advisory Board and the Land Use Planning and Zoning Committee.
Fred is survived by his children: Adam and his wife, Deena, of Baker City; Fred and his wife, Beth, of Baker City; Polly Johnson and her husband, Marty, of Hood River; seven grandchildren: Ryan Phillips and wife, Trista, Clay Phillips, Travis Carratt, Toby Carratt, Woody Johnson, Savanna Phillips and Riley Phillips; and his brother and sister-in-law, Wayne Jr. and Janice Phillips of Baker City.
Memorial contributions may be made to American Cancer Society in care of Gray’s West & Company, 1500 Dewey Ave., Baker City, OR 97814.
Used with permission from: Baker City Herald, Baker City, Oregon, July 22, 2009
Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor