Lee Craig Phillips

Lee Craig Phillips, 76, of Ada, OK, passed away on January 27th, surrounded by family. Lee was born in Shawnee, Oklahoma to parents Paul E. and Vivian D. Phillips on February 18th, 1944 the second of five children. Intelligent from the beginning, at the age of 11, Lee taught himself electrical and radio engineering through a correspondence course handed down to him by his cousin Denzel Coleman from Wyoming. This early passion and aptitude for engineering would serve him well throughout the rest of his life, as after graduating high school, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, where his talents as a marksman would only be bested by his engineering prowess, earning him the rank of E-5 Sergeant as a radio technician during the Vietnam War. After fulfilling his four-year enlistment, Lee went immediately to the classroom and attended Oklahoma State University, where he received training in biomedical engineering, which applied towards the repair and maintenance of radiological equipment, his field of work until retirement. Lee married twice, first to Janice Northcutt, with whom he had his first child, and later to Charlotte Penisten, with whom he had four more children. Both Janice and Charlotte preceded him in death. He is survived by four siblings, brothers Mark Phillips and wife Peggy of Norman and Robin Phillips and wife Patty of Oklahoma City, and sisters Karen “Kay” Reese and Sally Gettys of Norman, five children, sons Charles “Chuck” Phillips and wife Lori of Collinsville, George Phillips of Lexington, and David Phillips of Tulsa, and daughters Tara Cayton of Tulsa, and Erica Hollingsworth and husband Eric of Tulsa, and two granddaughters Alanna and Sidney Phillips as well as a large number of extended family and friends who love him and will miss him dearly. The family will host a visitation at Walker Funeral Service in Shawnee on Sunday afternoon from 2:00 until 4:00. A memorial service will be Monday, March 15, 2021 at 2:00 PM at Walker Funeral Chapel in Shawnee.