Donald E. Phillips

Service Details

Visitation will be Tuesday, November 26, at 10:00AM at Mt. Pleasant Lutheran Church, 1700 S Green Bay Road, Racine, WI, with the funeral service to begin at 11:00AM. The family would like to thank the staff at St. Monica’s Memory Care, St. Croix Hospice and Primrose Retirement Community for their compassionate care.

Memorial Suggestions

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Don’s name to Racine Lutheran High School, St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, www.stjude.org, or to the Wounded Warrior Project, https://support.woundedwarriorproject.org.

Donald E. Phillips, a life-long resident of Racine, passed away on November 19, 2024, at St. Monica’s Senior Living Memory Care.  Don was born in May 1930, to Edward and Leona (Alders) Phillips.

Don was a member of Lutheran High’s first graduating class in 1948.  After graduation, he enlisted in the Navy, served for a year on the USS Midway aircraft carrier, and then served six years in the Naval Reserves.  He briefly attended UW-Racine upon returning to the states.  In 1950, he met the love of his life, Beverly Welty, on a blind date in Monmouth, IL.  Thus began a year-long, long-distance courtship which resulted in the couple’s marriage in October 1951.  Don worked at Belle City Malleable Iron and Steel (also known as Racine Steel Castings), for 35 years.  After retiring from Racine Steel, he worked for another nine years at Grede Manufacturing in Milwaukee.  Don then worked part-time until the age of 88 as a tax preparer, initially with H&R Block, and later, with CPA Frank Sterbin.  Don enjoyed softball, ping pong, golf, tennis, jogging, racquetball and trapshooting.  He even kept fit on his Nordic Track until the age of 91.  He was an enthusiastic and competitive sheepshead player.  Always a big sports fan, Don enjoyed following the Packers, Brewers, and Badgers, as well as the athletic exploits of his brother, sons and grandchildren.  He and Beverly enjoyed traveling, card clubs, and Milwaukee’s Melody Top musicals.  Despite his many interests, Don’s family was always paramount.  He was an amiable, kind, loving and devoted husband, father, brother, uncle, grandfather and great-grandfather.

He will be dearly missed by his wife of 73 years, Beverly; his sons, Steven (Julie) and Scott (Kristine); his grandchildren, Eric, Andrew, Nicholas (Ashley), Michael (Brittany) and Elizabeth; his great-grandchildren, Anna and Gabriel; his brother, Gene (Sonia); and many other relatives and friends.  He was preceded in death by his parents; his infant daughter, Jane; his brother, Dick (Betty); and many others.