Kenneth Phipps

Kenneth L. Phipps, age 91, of Mullen, died Saturday, Feb. 2, 2019, at the Pioneer Memorial Nursing Home in Mullen. 

Funeral services will be held on Monday, Feb. 11, 2019, at 11:00 a.m. MT at the United Methodist Church in Mullen. A visitation will be held on Sunday, Feb. 10 from 2:00-5:00 p.m. with the family greeting friends from 3:00-5:00 p.m. at the Mullen Funeral Home.  

Memorials are suggested to the Pioneer Memorial Nursing Home, the Mullen United Methodist Church or the donor’s choice.  

Interment will be in the Cedarview Cemetery at Mullen.  

Mullen Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be left at www.govierbrothers.com.

A snowy Sept. 26, 1927, Kenneth Leroy was born to Raymond Luther and Lela (Jay) Phipps in Alliance, Nebraska. 

He was greeted home at the ranch, seven miles northeast of Whitman, by brothers Lawrence and Eugene (Jeep). Later a sister Mary joined them. This was his home where he ranched until moving north of Mullen in 1997.

Kenneth’s first year of school was in Lincoln, where he lived with his grandparents, Luther and Matilda Phipps. He then attended country school and later in Whitman where he graduated. 

Kenneth and Harriett (Simonson) were married at her parents’ home in Mullen on July 11, 1948.

Three children were born to this union, Barbara, Wanda, and Jerry Dean, who passed away in 1968.

Kenneth always worked at other jobs, unloading train cars of coal and feed, hunting coyotes and trapping rats. Later he drove trucks and moved stacks of hay. His true love was operating machinery and doing mechanic work. 

Their entertainment was playing cards with neighbors and friends, square dancing, softball, and bowling.

He is survived by daughters Barb (Vernie) McCully of Mullen and Wanda (Dan) Morrison of Alliance; grandchildren Kevin McCully, Brenda (Jay) Lovitt, Brad (Traci) McCully, Kerri (Jerry) Heusman and Scott (Alicia) Morrison; great-grandchildren Carlene and Mallory McCully, Jessica and Jade Lovitt, Brittni, Brooke and Brynne McCully, Cooper and Baylie Heusman and Ashlyn and Addison Morrison; and a host of nieces and nephews.