John Charles Phillips

John was born the year of the Black Penny (1943) and grew up with the post World War II black and white submarine movies on TV (Run Silent, Run Deep, the Silent Service series) which created his desire to enter the U.S. Navy Submarine Service, which he did in 1961. By 1969, he had completed eight Cold War deterrent patrols on a Polaris missile carrying submarine SSBN 617 Alexander Hamilton and then finished his career with 20 years in the Naval Reserve, retiring as a Senior Chief.

Between 1969 and 1998, John worked for Xerox corporation in Spokane as a Senior Technician, installing and maintaining large printers and high-volume laser printers. For fun, John spent 22 years on the 49° North Volunteer Ski Patrol.

In the conservation and wildlife arena, John was a member of the INWC for over 25 years, serving seven years on the Board and chairing the Upland Bird Committee for eight years. John was active with the local Pheasants Forever chapter in habitat development and was a charter member and one of the founding officers of the Columbia Plateau Wildlife Management Association (CPWMA) formed in 2011. He was also a Washington State Master Hunter and a life member of the NRA, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, and Safari Club International.

John was a hunter; he hunted in several US Western states, in the Northwest Territories and British Columbia, Argentina and Africa, and finished in Panama and Costa Rica.

He gave into his Scots heritage in the 1980s and learned to play the bagpipes – winning several competitions.

Married to Donna (Potter), they marked their 50th anniversary (in 2011) by rafting the Colorado River through Grand Canyon and going to South America. They have three grown children, eight grandchildren, and ten great-grandchildren. John was known as a curmudgeon, but all the family knew he loved them.

A private family service is planned. Any donations in his memory can be made to Horizon Hospice of Spokane, WA.