Richard "Mac" Mcphillips

Richard L. "Mac" McPhillips, 94, of Cedar Rapids, NE, passed away Sunday, August 16, 2020 at Cloverlodge Care Center, St. Edward NE.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, August 20, 2020 at St. Anthony's Catholic Church, Cedar Rapids, NE. with Fr. Mark Tomasiewicz officiating. Burial will follow at St. Anthony's Catholic Cemetery with military honors by Dan Cox American Legion Post #44. Visitation will be 5-7 p.m. Wednesday at the church, with a 7 p.m. Wake Service. Social distancing and current Covid-19 DHM's effective will be followed at both the visitation and mass.

Levander Funeral Home of Cedar Rapids, NE is in charge of the arrangements.

Richard Louis McPhillips, son of Earland Anna (Sindelar) McPhillips,was born February 17, 1926 on a farm east of Albion, NE. He moved with his family to the Primrose, NE area, and later to Cedar Rapids, NE where he attended grade school at St. Anthony's School, and graduated from Cedar Rapids High School in 1944. Following graduation, he entered the United States Air Force and served as an Aerial Gunner until his honorable discharge in October 1945. He returned to Nebraska where he attended college at Creighton University in Omaha.

On September 18, 1950, Mac married Marion Connelly at Holy Family Church in Lindsay, NE. They lived near Mead, NE for four years while he worked for a farmer and also the Hormel plant in Fremont. They moved to a farm southwest of Cedar Rapids where they lived for the next 46 years, before moving into town. Mac farmed and also worked at the Army Ammunition Plant in Grand Island until it closed.

He was a lifelong member of St. Anthony's Catholic Church, a member of St. Anthony's Choir and a member of the Knights of Columbus, earning the 3 ^rd Degree. He was one of the founding fathers of the Table of Intelligence, enjoyed bowling, playing softball and making people laugh. He had a talent for telling stories, enjoyed sharing them with others and had a unique way of making the best out of any situation. After retiring, Mac took up the sport of golf and thoroughly enjoyed it. So much so that he and friends built the Cow Patty Golf Course in his pasture in 1997, and he loved sharing with family, friends and those new to town.

Mac is survived by his five children: Karen (Rich) Hargadine of Belgrade; Connie (Don) Whetstone of Kearney, NE; Rich (Bonnie) McPhillips of Belgrade, NE; Tom (Julie) McPhillips of Belgrade, NE; Pam (Les) Dana of Phillips, NE; 10 grandchildren: Lynne Carlson (Mark), Tim (Amanda) Whetstone, Kevin (Kara) Whetstone, Kenton McPhillips, Lee (Beth) McPhillips, Logan (Jess) McPhillips, Jorji (Kyler) Sharp, Mirrya (Parker) Anderson, Josh Dana and Morgan Dana; six great-grandchildren: Luke, Barret and Calvin McPhillips, Isaac and Evelyn McPhillips, and Micah Sharp; two sisters: Bernie McCullough of Omaha, NE and Mary Alice Raitt of Columbus, NE; one sister-in-law Marlene McPhillips of Omaha, NE; along with nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his wife Marion; parents Earl and Anna; sisters Ardith Massman and Irene Goodyear; a brother Jerome McPhillips and a baby grandson Matthew Dana.