On October 6, 2026, Bob Walter Phillips passed away at the age of 85 in the Intensive Care Unit at Anschutz Hospital. Bob was born on November 25, 1940, in Paxton, Texas, to Bobby Floyd Phillips and Blanche "Honey" (Green) Phillips. He spent most of childhood in Southeast Texas, hunting and fishing in the woods with his grandads and childhood friends. His younger brother, Pete, didn't get invited on the hunting trips, but, as the brothers got older, enjoyed water skiing together. These days would become the stories his family would ask to hear over and over again.

Higher education was highly valued in Bob's family. His mother had graduated from Texas State College for Women (now TWU). Bob graduated from Stephen F. Austin State University, which was also his father's alma mater, with a degree in business. Between his junior and senior year of college he took a "break," and served in the National Guard for two years. After he completed his education at SFA, he was hired by Sears Roebuck Company and worked for them for 25 years. He also tried his hand at breeding thoroughbred racehorses (and fortunately didn't quit his day job). During a period in those years, he cared for his older daughter as a single parent. Then, as luck would have it, Sears transferred him to a job in Peoria, Illinois, where a woman he would soon meet worked at a furniture store. As Bob told the story numerous times, if he hadn't been transferred, he wouldn't have met the love of his life, and wife of 42 years, Dorothy (Reynolds) Phillips. After early retirement from Sears, Bob and Dottie bought the Scott Insurance Agency, which, through a merger with Elton and Dale Ingmire, eventually became the Ingmire-Phillips Insurance Agency. Bob was a member of the Fort Morgan Optimists, and in later years an enthusiastically involved member of the Fort Morgan Museum's Heritage Foundation. For a time, he proudly served as the foundation's President. In later years he enjoyed helping the curator procure new artifacts for the museum.

Bob and Dottie lived the majority of their married life together in Fort Morgan, Colorado. This was their cheerful home base amid all of their adventures together, and they made a warm and beautiful home for their children to grow up in, which their three grandchildren and great-grandchild also enjoyed. Bob's love of life, travel, and the great outdoors are captured in the galleries of photos from around the world, covering the walls in the home that he and Dottie built.

But the pictures only represent a fraction of his exploits. One of his favorite activities for much of his life was skiing. He learned how in the German Alps as a young man, and in his own words, "mostly falling on my butt the whole way down." He enjoyed that hobby all through his 60's, as fast as he could go, on what many would consider harrowing runs. He prided himself on his jump turns in particular. Even in his 80's he continued to enjoy a long tradition of a yearly fly-fishing trip with his greatest friends Bill Gassiott, Doug Dowling, and Paul Korus. At home, Bob was an avid tomato-grower, devising schemes to have his first ripe tomato by July 4th. He loved preparing and eating all kinds of foods, although his family members debate whether it was the cooking or the slicing/dicing and knife sharpening he loved the most! Every Sunday afternoon included a phone visit with his brother Pete, reminiscing about the old days and their family in Southeast Texas. Bob was a fun, faithful, generous and cherished brother, husband, dad, grandad and friend.

Bob is survived by his wife, Dottie Phillips, his brother Ralph Warren "Pete" Phillips, and his children Stacy Phillips and Joanie Patterson (Will); his grandchildren Brenden Phillips (Thanairy), Lillian and Holly Patterson; and his great grandchild Vanellope Phillips. He is also survived by all those named friends and many beloved cousins, who hope they can remember how all of those stories go. Especially the one about the gator that woke up in his boat, or the standoff with the wolf, and, of course, all the practical uses of purple dog medicine.

Bob's visitation is Friday, October 23 from 4-6 PM, with the recitation of the Rosary at 6 PM at Heer Mortuary in Fort Morgan, Colorado. The Mass of Christian Burial will be Saturday, October 24 at 10 AM at St. Helena Catholic Church, Fort Morgan, Colorado.