Willard Philiph

Ocheyedan, IA Willard Bill Philiph, age 81 of Ocheyedan, IA died March 30, 2007 at the Osceola Community Hospital. Memorial service will be 11:00 AM, Tuesday, April 3rd at the United Methodist Church of Ocheyedan, IA, with Rev. Douglas Harding officiating. Burial will take place at the Baker Township Cemetery prior to the service. Visitation will be Monday, April 2nd from 2 " 8 PM, with the family present from 5 " 8 PM at the Walton - Roste Funeral Home of Sibley. Willard Bill Irvan Philiph was born May 5, 1925, in rural Baker Township, Osceola County, on the family farm four miles east of Melvin, the son of Irvan Henry and Ruth Edna (Hefflefinger) Philiph. His childhood years were spent there on the farm and attending rural schools through eighth grade, graduating from Melvin High School in 1944. After serving his country in the United States Army, Willard returned home to Melvin. He was united in marriage to Ruth Ann Denny on February 17, 1952, at the Trinity United Church of Christ at Hartley, IA. Following their marriage they lived on, and farmed the Philiph family farm four miles east of Melvin, until moving to Ocheyedan in November of 2001. During his life he was an active member of the United Methodist Church in Melvin where he held different offices. He also was a trustee on the Baker township Cemetery holding several offices until moving to Ocheyedan. Willard enjoyed fishing, bowling, dancing, playing cards, photography, vacationing, fixing and tinkering and watching television. His children and grandchildren were very important and were a great joy in his life. This past Friday evening, Willard died at the Osceola Community Hospital at Sibley at the age of eighty-one. He is survived by his wife, Ruth Ann of Ocheyedan; his children, Patricia Philiph-Jones of Sibley; Peggy and her husband, Terry DeYoung of Park Rapids, MN; Paige and her husband, Shelley Morris of Spirit Lake, IA; daughter-in-law, Susan and her husband, Don Hutsel of Hartley, IA; eight grandchildren; two sisters, Virginia Knock of Melvin, IA and Joyce Shriner of New Ulm, MN. Willard was preceded in death by his parents, Irvan and Ruth; his son, Perry; and two brothers-in-law, Virgil Knock and Don Shriner.