Coach Bill Phillips

WILLIAM CURTIS PHILLIPS, JR - COACH BILL

William Curtis Phillips, JR., (Coach Bill), 73, was born on December 5, 1950, to William Curtis Phillips and Mildred Blanch McAlister Phillips in Quanah, TX. Bill passed from this earthly home on November 9, 2024, at his home in Jenks, OK. Bill was a member of the Franklin Street Church of Christ in Borger.

Bill married Renee on March 23, 1997, in Fritch, TX. Bill was preceded in death by his parents, sisters Jackie Seymour and Joanna Gamble, in-laws Glenn and Jeanne Brannan, and numerous nieces and nephews.

After graduating from Quanah HS in 1969, Bill attended the University of Texas at Austin. Bill continued to be a diehard Longhorn fan and cheered for anyone playing OU. While in Austin, Bill was drafted to the US Army and did his basic training at Fort Knox, KY, then on to California. However, he was not deployed to Vietnam because he was the only son of an only son. He finished his service time and used the GI Bill to complete his education degree at West Texas State University. 

In 1973, Bill began his 35-year coaching and teaching career in White Deer, TX. He went on to coach in Magnolia, Hale Center, Petersburg, Farwell, Hartley, McLean, Memphis, and Fritch. One of Bill's proudest accomplishments was being a part of the Memphis state football championship team and getting the name of "Coach Bill". He and Renee were able to attend the 25th reunion of that team and be honored with many of his former players and the coaching staff.

After leaving Memphis, Coach Bill wound up his much-loved career in Fritch. While in Fritch, he coached and taught junior high students. Not only did he teach "Coach Bill History" lessons or give his athletes an excellent foundation for high school sports, but he taught many life lessons. He told them all that he would treat them like his own--"I'll give you a hug around the neck or a kick in the seat of the pants when needed!"

Or his core values--"God, family, and country" in that order.

Coach Bill would be very touched and emotional by the hundreds of comments left on his obituary; these are a true testament to how much Coach Bill impacted so many lives. He genuinely cared for and loved all his co-workers, fellow coaches, and students and cherished the time spent with all of them.

Coach Bill is survived by his wife, Renee Phillips of Jenks, OK; children, Chris and Peggy Phillips of Midwest City, Deana Phillips of Clarendon, and Ami and Fidel Barraza of Tulsa; grandchildren, Austin (Sarah) Lowry of Amarillo, Cody Lowry of Amarillo, and Fidel, JR, Mercedes, Maximus of Tulsa; and his special classmate, Billy Smith of Enid. 

Graveside services will be held at 11 am on Saturday, November 16, 2024, in Westlawn Memorial Park, under the direction of Minton Chatwell Funeral Directors of Fritch. The family will receive guests from 5-7 pm on Friday, November 15, 2024, at the funeral home in Fritch. In lieu of flowers, his memory may be honored with a gift to Alzheimer's Association, PO Box 96011, Washington, D.C., 20090.