MARY PHIPPS

LAMAR-Services will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday at Daniel Funeral Home for Mary Ella Phipps, 96, Lamar, who died early Tuesday morning, Aug. 16, 2016, at her home, surrounded by her family. Burial will be in Sheldon Cemetery.

Visitation will be held from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday, at the funeral home.

Memorial contributions may be made to Oakton United Methodist Church, in care of the funeral home.

Condolences and memories may be shared at www.danielfuneralhome.net.

Survivors include a son, Gary Phipps and wife Lois, Joplin; three daughters, Nancy Cass and husband Billy Bob, Joplin and Linda Colin and husband Gary and Janis Priest, all of Lamar; seven grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; two brothers-in-law, Delbert Phipps, Carthage and John Coleman, Granada Hills, Calif. and a large extended family.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 70 years, John Phipps; three sisters, Irene Iannone, May Coleman and Helen Jantz; a brother, Sonny Harman and grandchildren, Brad Cass and Amy Ortega.

Mrs. Phipps was born March 11, 1920, to Ira Lilburn and Mary Lee (Jones) Harman. She was a 1938 graduate of Milford High School and was a lifelong resident of Barton County. She married her high school sweetheart, John Howard Phipps and together they farmed for many years. After moving to Lamar she was the manager of the license office for 12 years. They placed their membership in the Oakton United Methodist Church on Easter Sunday 1975.

After the loss of her husband in 2008, she needed something to do to fill the lonely hours, so she began a card ministry, sending cards to everyone who had a need, or maybe a simple card of encouragement, or just a smile. One was truly blessed if they received a Mary Phipps card.