Long-time Bonham resident Don L. Phillips passed away on Wednesday, November 24, 2020 at Baylor Hospital, Dallas. He was 73. Don was born to Gilbert Mayes Phillips and Mayrene Eubanks Phillips October 20, 1947 at Kermit, Texas.
The family lived in Kermit, Texas until the end of Don’s sixth-grade year, when Gilbert and Mayrene decided to return home to Fannin County. Throughout junior high and high school, Don played sports and participated in many school clubs and organizations. Don and his friends, Mackie Morris and Mike Adams, formed a band where Don played the Bass guitar but was never allowed to sing. During the summers Don worked as a lifeguard at Bonham State Park and also worked for his father at the Phillips Construction Co. During the fall and winter when Don wasn’t taking care of the family’s cattle, Don loved to ride horses and hunt with his friends Brooks Griffin, Joe Todd and Jerry Harris.
After high school Don attended East Texas State university, where he answered the call from Uncle Sam and served his country in the Navy. Don was a corpsman in Vietnam.
When Don returned from the Vietnam War, he enrolled at Grayson County College and also worked as the school’s athletic trainer. It was there, at Grayson County College, where Don met Danna Elaine Oelker, the love of his life. Don and Danna were married on Aug 7, 1971 and the couple moved to Bonham in 1972.
Don worked with his father at the Phillips Construction Co. and they also opened a sawmill, Hardwood Specialties Co, just north of Bonham. Don always played a very active role in his community; he was a communicant of St. Elizabeth’s Catholic Church, where he served on the parish council. Don served as a Cubmaster of Pack 54 and Scoutmaster of Troop 52, Bonham, Texas. Don was a member of several local charitable organizations such as the Lions Club, the Fannin County Grand Jury, the Bonham Chamber of Commerce, and the Bonham Golf Club, where he served on the board of directors. Don volunteered as the athletic trainer for the Purple Warrior Football team for many seasons and he was a true Bonham Purple Warrior at heart.
Don left the business community to pursue his real love, nursing. Don received his RN degree from Grayson County College in 1986. He worked in emergency rooms of several area hospitals such as Wilson-Jones, the old TMC and Baylor. Don also served as house supervisor at North Texas Medical located in McKinney. Don’s health care career developed further when the State of Texas hired him to conduct quality surveys of home health agencies. In 1999 Don was offered to take on the role of Director of Home Healthcare at Delmar Gardens, which was the largest privately-owned home healthcare company located at St. Louis, Missouri. Pursuing his new career, Don and Danna relocated to O’Fallon, Missouri in 2000. It was in the Show Me state where Don and Danna enjoyed 17 wonderful years full of new adventures. Don retired from Delmar Gardens in 2012. When Danna retired in 2017, they returned to Texas with their son and his family.
Don loved to cook for family and friends, especially on the grill and you’d better watch yourself and stay out of his way. Don loved golf and he was an avid golfer for many years. Don visited and played in numerous country clubs and often took golf-trips with his wife and friends. The Golf Channel was a constant background noise in his house, unless it was football season. His other favorite activities were reading and current events, which often elicited heart-felt comments.
Don was right at home on the porch of his newly built home, surrounded by his family and friends enjoying the sunset. He adored his grandchildren and loved to spend time with them often playing games on many a sleepover and his grandchildren loved these special occasions with their Gramp and Grandma.
Funeral Services with military honors for Don will be held at 1:00 p.m. Tuesday, December 1, 2020 at Wise Funeral Home Chapel. Visitation will be held one hour prior to service time, at 12:00 p.m. Burial will follow at Rose Hill Cemetery in Bells, Texas.
The family lived in Kermit, Texas until the end of Don’s sixth-grade year, when Gilbert and Mayrene decided to return home to Fannin County. Throughout junior high and high school, Don played sports and participated in many school clubs and organizations. Don and his friends, Mackie Morris and Mike Adams, formed a band where Don played the Bass guitar but was never allowed to sing. During the summers Don worked as a lifeguard at Bonham State Park and also worked for his father at the Phillips Construction Co. During the fall and winter when Don wasn’t taking care of the family’s cattle, Don loved to ride horses and hunt with his friends Brooks Griffin, Joe Todd and Jerry Harris.
After high school Don attended East Texas State university, where he answered the call from Uncle Sam and served his country in the Navy. Don was a corpsman in Vietnam.
When Don returned from the Vietnam War, he enrolled at Grayson County College and also worked as the school’s athletic trainer. It was there, at Grayson County College, where Don met Danna Elaine Oelker, the love of his life. Don and Danna were married on Aug 7, 1971 and the couple moved to Bonham in 1972.
Don worked with his father at the Phillips Construction Co. and they also opened a sawmill, Hardwood Specialties Co, just north of Bonham. Don always played a very active role in his community; he was a communicant of St. Elizabeth’s Catholic Church, where he served on the parish council. Don served as a Cubmaster of Pack 54 and Scoutmaster of Troop 52, Bonham, Texas. Don was a member of several local charitable organizations such as the Lions Club, the Fannin County Grand Jury, the Bonham Chamber of Commerce, and the Bonham Golf Club, where he served on the board of directors. Don volunteered as the athletic trainer for the Purple Warrior Football team for many seasons and he was a true Bonham Purple Warrior at heart.
Don left the business community to pursue his real love, nursing. Don received his RN degree from Grayson County College in 1986. He worked in emergency rooms of several area hospitals such as Wilson-Jones, the old TMC and Baylor. Don also served as house supervisor at North Texas Medical located in McKinney. Don’s health care career developed further when the State of Texas hired him to conduct quality surveys of home health agencies. In 1999 Don was offered to take on the role of Director of Home Healthcare at Delmar Gardens, which was the largest privately-owned home healthcare company located at St. Louis, Missouri. Pursuing his new career, Don and Danna relocated to O’Fallon, Missouri in 2000. It was in the Show Me state where Don and Danna enjoyed 17 wonderful years full of new adventures. Don retired from Delmar Gardens in 2012. When Danna retired in 2017, they returned to Texas with their son and his family.
Don loved to cook for family and friends, especially on the grill and you’d better watch yourself and stay out of his way. Don loved golf and he was an avid golfer for many years. Don visited and played in numerous country clubs and often took golf-trips with his wife and friends. The Golf Channel was a constant background noise in his house, unless it was football season. His other favorite activities were reading and current events, which often elicited heart-felt comments.
Don was right at home on the porch of his newly built home, surrounded by his family and friends enjoying the sunset. He adored his grandchildren and loved to spend time with them often playing games on many a sleepover and his grandchildren loved these special occasions with their Gramp and Grandma.
Funeral Services with military honors for Don will be held at 1:00 p.m. Tuesday, December 1, 2020 at Wise Funeral Home Chapel. Visitation will be held one hour prior to service time, at 12:00 p.m. Burial will follow at Rose Hill Cemetery in Bells, Texas.
Long-time Bonham resident Don L. Phillips passed away on Wednesday, November 24, 2020 at Baylor Hospital, Dallas. He was 73. Don was born to Gilbert Mayes Phillips and Mayrene Eubanks Phillips October 20, 1947 at Kermit, Texas.
The family lived in Kermit, Texas until the end of Don’s sixth-grade year, when Gilbert and Mayrene decided to return home to Fannin County. Throughout junior high and high school, Don played sports and participated in many school clubs and organizations. Don and his friends, Mackie Morris and Mike Adams, formed a band where Don played the Bass guitar but was never allowed to sing. During the summers Don worked as a lifeguard at Bonham State Park and also worked for his father at the Phillips Construction Co. During the fall and winter when Don wasn’t taking care of the family’s cattle, Don loved to ride horses and hunt with his friends Brooks Griffin, Joe Todd and Jerry Harris.
After high school Don attended East Texas State university, where he answered the call from Uncle Sam and served his country in the Navy. Don was a corpsman in Vietnam.
When Don returned from the Vietnam War, he enrolled at Grayson County College and also worked as the school’s athletic trainer. It was there, at Grayson County College, where Don met Danna Elaine Oelker, the love of his life. Don and Danna were married on Aug 7, 1971 and the couple moved to Bonham in 1972.
Don worked with his father at the Phillips Construction Co. and they also opened a sawmill, Hardwood Specialties Co, just north of Bonham. Don always played a very active role in his community; he was a communicant of St. Elizabeth’s Catholic Church, where he served on the parish council. Don served as a Cubmaster of Pack 54 and Scoutmaster of Troop 52, Bonham, Texas. Don was a member of several local charitable organizations such as the Lions Club, the Fannin County Grand Jury, the Bonham Chamber of Commerce, and the Bonham Golf Club, where he served on the board of directors. Don volunteered as the athletic trainer for the Purple Warrior Football team for many seasons and he was a true Bonham Purple Warrior at heart.
Don left the business community to pursue his real love, nursing. Don received his RN degree from Grayson County College in 1986. He worked in emergency rooms of several area hospitals such as Wilson-Jones, the old TMC and Baylor. Don also served as house supervisor at North Texas Medical located in McKinney. Don’s health care career developed further when the State of Texas hired him to conduct quality surveys of home health agencies. In 1999 Don was offered to take on the role of Director of Home Healthcare at Delmar Gardens, which was the largest privately-owned home healthcare company located at St. Louis, Missouri. Pursuing his new career, Don and Danna relocated to O’Fallon, Missouri in 2000. It was in the Show Me state where Don and Danna enjoyed 17 wonderful years full of new adventures. Don retired from Delmar Gardens in 2012. When Danna retired in 2017, they returned to Texas with their son and his family.
Don loved to cook for family and friends, especially on the grill and you’d better watch yourself and stay out of his way. Don loved golf and he was an avid golfer for many years. Don visited and played in numerous country clubs and often took golf-trips with his wife and friends. The Golf Channel was a constant background noise in his house, unless it was football season. His other favorite activities were reading and current events, which often elicited heart-felt comments.
Don was right at home on the porch of his newly built home, surrounded by his family and friends enjoying the sunset. He adored his grandchildren and loved to spend time with them often playing games on many a sleepover and his grandchildren loved these special occasions with their Gramp and Grandma.
Funeral Services with military honors for Don will be held at 1:00 p.m. Tuesday, December 1, 2020 at Wise Funeral Home Chapel. Visitation will be held one hour prior to service time, at 12:00 p.m. Burial will follow at Rose Hill Cemetery in Bells, Texas.
The family lived in Kermit, Texas until the end of Don’s sixth-grade year, when Gilbert and Mayrene decided to return home to Fannin County. Throughout junior high and high school, Don played sports and participated in many school clubs and organizations. Don and his friends, Mackie Morris and Mike Adams, formed a band where Don played the Bass guitar but was never allowed to sing. During the summers Don worked as a lifeguard at Bonham State Park and also worked for his father at the Phillips Construction Co. During the fall and winter when Don wasn’t taking care of the family’s cattle, Don loved to ride horses and hunt with his friends Brooks Griffin, Joe Todd and Jerry Harris.
After high school Don attended East Texas State university, where he answered the call from Uncle Sam and served his country in the Navy. Don was a corpsman in Vietnam.
When Don returned from the Vietnam War, he enrolled at Grayson County College and also worked as the school’s athletic trainer. It was there, at Grayson County College, where Don met Danna Elaine Oelker, the love of his life. Don and Danna were married on Aug 7, 1971 and the couple moved to Bonham in 1972.
Don worked with his father at the Phillips Construction Co. and they also opened a sawmill, Hardwood Specialties Co, just north of Bonham. Don always played a very active role in his community; he was a communicant of St. Elizabeth’s Catholic Church, where he served on the parish council. Don served as a Cubmaster of Pack 54 and Scoutmaster of Troop 52, Bonham, Texas. Don was a member of several local charitable organizations such as the Lions Club, the Fannin County Grand Jury, the Bonham Chamber of Commerce, and the Bonham Golf Club, where he served on the board of directors. Don volunteered as the athletic trainer for the Purple Warrior Football team for many seasons and he was a true Bonham Purple Warrior at heart.
Don left the business community to pursue his real love, nursing. Don received his RN degree from Grayson County College in 1986. He worked in emergency rooms of several area hospitals such as Wilson-Jones, the old TMC and Baylor. Don also served as house supervisor at North Texas Medical located in McKinney. Don’s health care career developed further when the State of Texas hired him to conduct quality surveys of home health agencies. In 1999 Don was offered to take on the role of Director of Home Healthcare at Delmar Gardens, which was the largest privately-owned home healthcare company located at St. Louis, Missouri. Pursuing his new career, Don and Danna relocated to O’Fallon, Missouri in 2000. It was in the Show Me state where Don and Danna enjoyed 17 wonderful years full of new adventures. Don retired from Delmar Gardens in 2012. When Danna retired in 2017, they returned to Texas with their son and his family.
Don loved to cook for family and friends, especially on the grill and you’d better watch yourself and stay out of his way. Don loved golf and he was an avid golfer for many years. Don visited and played in numerous country clubs and often took golf-trips with his wife and friends. The Golf Channel was a constant background noise in his house, unless it was football season. His other favorite activities were reading and current events, which often elicited heart-felt comments.
Don was right at home on the porch of his newly built home, surrounded by his family and friends enjoying the sunset. He adored his grandchildren and loved to spend time with them often playing games on many a sleepover and his grandchildren loved these special occasions with their Gramp and Grandma.
Funeral Services with military honors for Don will be held at 1:00 p.m. Tuesday, December 1, 2020 at Wise Funeral Home Chapel. Visitation will be held one hour prior to service time, at 12:00 p.m. Burial will follow at Rose Hill Cemetery in Bells, Texas.
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