Karen T Phillips

Karen T Phillips, 86, passed peacefully in the presence of loving family members on January 18, 2025. She was born on April 12, 1938. Weston, Idaho was her birthplace, location of the family farm where she resided with two brothers and four sisters: the children of W. Maurice Tingey and Ruth (Bastian) Tingey. Farm, family, church, and school formed Karen's early life along with occasional travels to visit relatives scattered in the Southern Idaho/Northern Utah area. A fellow High School schoolmate, Clynn Phillips, from the neighboring rural community, Dayton, Idaho would become her husband shortly after graduation. Last September, Karen and Clynn celebrated their 68th wedding anniversary. The marriage was blessed with five children. The birth places of the children produce a travel log of their educational and occupational pursuits. Brett and Lori were Utah State babies (BS & MS degrees). Sherri was a Montana State baby (PhD degree). Jerry and Ellen were University of Wyoming babies (UW faculty). No babies during the 2 years the Phillips lived in Tucson Arizona.

Karen and family came to Laramie in the fall of 1968 and planted deep roots. Her only vocational interest was that of home maker. She did steal enough time from her home duties to graduate from UW although it took 12 years of part-time studies to earn a degree. Karen's degree from UW was the first of five for her family as four of the children (Brett, Sherri, Jerry and Ellen) also earned UW degrees. Lori broke the cycle with a BS degree from BYU-Idaho.

Music held a lofty position in Karen’s interest profile. She was church organist for more than 40 years and taught beginning piano lessons for more than 20 years. She enjoyed sewing with quilting becoming a prominent pastime later in her life. Starting in the late 1980s, Karen along with husband Clynn and daughter Ellen indulged passionately in white water rafting. Most of the white-water rivers in Wyoming, Colorado, Idaho and Utah have carried rafts wave to wave with Karen aboard. To Karen, white water friends were almost family.

Church attendance and church service were part of everyday life. She was a devoted member of the Latter-day Saints church; holding leadership positions in various women and youth organizations.

Karen was preceded in death by her parents W Maurice Tingey and Ruth Bastian Tingey and a sister Geniel Siggard. Birth family survivors include three sisters: Angela Weeks, Ruthann Gilbert, Shannon Olson and two brothers Mark Tingey and Kent Tingey. She is survived by husband Clynn Phillips, three daughters Lori Ann Slater, Sherri Lynn Stewarts and Ellen Christine Titensor and two sons, Brett James and Gerald B. Phillips. Survivors also include fourteen grandchildren and ten great grandchildren

A caring, compassionate wife, mother, grandmother, friend and neighbor, Karen was loved beyond the measure of words.

Funeral services will be held 12:00 pm, Saturday, January 25, 2025 at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 3311 Hayford Ave, Laramie, WY. The church will be open to individuals wishing to visit with the family one hour prior to services.

Condolences can be left for the family at www.foxfh.com.