Graveside funeral service for Paul Phillips will be 10:00 a.m. Monday, August 30, 2021 in Highland Cemetery with Dr. Chad Fetzer officiating.

Arrangements are under direction of Becker-Rabon Funeral Home.  The family will greet friends from 3-5 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home.

Paul Phillips was born March 20, 1943 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma to Percy Gordon and Oleta Bell (Taylor) Phillips.  He grew up in Odessa, Texas and was a graduate of Odessa High School.  Following graduation, he became a radio disc jockey.  He loved learning about how the media industry operated and in 1968 moved to Lawton to manage KSWO TV and Radio for R.H. Drewry.  Paul became well known for his skills over many years in the media business.  He could do it all – investigate the story, film the story, interview people involved, write the story, report the story on tv and radio and operate the necessary equipment.

He remained at KSWO four years before accepting a position with Civil Service at Fort Sill in the Training Division.  He worked directly with each commanding General at Fort Sill for 25 years.  His assignments involved setting up any program the General's office wanted filmed.  This meant he would set the schedule, oversee the schedule as it unfolded which included directing the personnel needed to film the event, write the script, narrate the story, produce the story, direct the team, polish the final draft and seek final approval from the General's office.  To obtain some of the stories about the training of the Army troops, he would hang out of helicopters, climb mountains, swim in rivers and hide in forests and caves.  Paul was a perfectionist in producing and directing these videos.  His work with his team was admired by many of the Generals, and he was presented many awards including an award for 25 years' service to the U.S. Government along with many achievement awards for guiding the visual team.  He was recognized by Senator Dewey Bartlett who honored Paul as an OKIE (Oklahoma Key to Intelligence & Enterprise).  Following his retirement from Civil Service he worked another five years with a government contractor, rendering the same services he did for the government.

Paul was an excellent cook and enjoyed cooking Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners for his large, blended family.  Paul first married June Shirley in 1960 and together they had one daughter, Susie.  He later married Barbara Jane Fuller and together they had three children, Tina, Paula and Robert.  In 1971 he married Cherry Waghorne Williams, and the family grew with the addition of Cherry's five children, Kristy, Melanie, Blake, Lindsie and Reese.

Paul was a member of St. Paul's United Methodist Church, a charter member of Toastmasters International General Organization in Lawton, had been inducted into the Ancient Order of Saint Barbara, was a charter member of the Lawton Area Fun Flyers Society (LAFFS) and also served as the club's safety officer and test pilot.  He flew other members' new planes on their virgin flights, ensuring they were flight worthy.  He had a magical voice and narrated the Easter Pageant at the Holy City for many years as well as recording the voiceover for various exhibits at the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge Visitors Center.  He was also an excellent pianist, gardener and outdoorsman.

He is survived by his wife, Cherry Phillips, of the home; four children and their spouses, Susie and George Haynes, Odessa, Texas, Tina Somerlott, Lawton, Paula Phillips and her partner Leo, Fort Lauderdale, Florida and Robert (Ernie) and Ranae Phillips, Lawton; five step-children and their spouses, Kristy and Tom Graves, Houston, Texas, Melanie Scott, Canyon Lake, Texas, Blake and Angela Williams, Denton, Texas, Lindsie and James Baltier, Lawton, and Reese and Shelby Williams, Flower Mound, Texas; 19 grandchildren and six great grandchildren.

His parents preceded him in death

Memorial contributions may be made to St. Paul's United Methodist Church, 910 NW 38 ^th Street, Lawton, Oklahoma 73505.