Jerry Lee Phipps

1950 - 2025

With his loving family surrounding him, Jerry Lee Phipps of Twentynine Palms took his final breath of this life and entered into the warm embrace of our heavenly Father on Jan. 20, 2025. Memories will count him as a loving, faithful and beloved husband, father and friend. Even strangers were regularly touched by this strong and humble man.
Jerry was born on Sept. 29, 1950, in Portsmouth, Ohio, to Goldie Irene and Homer Lee Phipps. Not long after high school, Jerry married the love of his life and best friend, Lois, in 1969 and they enjoyed 55 years of marriage. They moved to Twentynine Palms in December of 1970 when Jerry was stationed at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center. It was there they decided to raise their family, which included five beautiful daughters.
He is survived by all five of them: Sharon Altemoos (Michael) of Yucca Valley, Susan Lewis (John) of Sinking Springs, Pennsylvania, Jennifer Husung (Brent) of Gardnerville, Nevada, Karen Cook (Jesse) of Overland Park, Kansas, and Katrina Herrera (George) of St Louis, Missouri.
He also is survived by his three brothers, Gary Lynn of Lucasville, Ohio, Homer Ray of Bixby, Oklahoma, and Randall Lige (Bonnie) of Lucasville, Ohio; and his three sisters, Pamela Mae Jones of Alvarado, Texas, Roberta Irene Vandagriff (Bill) of Garland, Texas, and Angela Faye Vlasow (Darren) of Decatur, Texas.
His heart also held great love for his 11 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren, and it was clear how they loved him in return. The love shared is a living testimony to the legacy of his love for family, friends and his marriage to Lois. Jerry was preceded in death by her, and his parents.
Jerry proudly joined the Marine Corps in 1968 and after marrying his bride, he was sent to the Vietnam War. After returning home from the war, he was stationed in Twentynine Palms at the combat center, where he was honorably discharged from service as a Sergeant of Marines in 1973. He was a true patriot who believed in serving his county.
Jerry and Lois loved raising their family in their small desert community of Twentynine Palms. He was a plumber by trade and worked in the hardware industry for several years. Starting in 1983, he became a civil servant and held multiple jobs with the United States Marine Corps, at the Marine Air Ground Combat Center. He retired there as a supervisory facilities operation specialist. After his first retirement, he decided to go back to work at Copper Mountain College, holding the position of facilities and operations director from August 2013 until his second retirement in June 2018.
Yet even that does not capture the full story of Jerry's 54 years in Twentynine Palms. He and his wife's family owned and operated Momma's Home Style Bakery from 1982 to 1993. He also was a long-standing member of Blessed Sacrament Church from 1970 until he went home to his Savior and Lord. He spent numerous years volunteering his time with the church, which included being a coordinator for the baptismal program, extraordinary minister, volunteer at the church thrift store and participant in the Passion Play. Over the last couple of years, he found much comfort in being part of the men's prayer group.
Jerry embraced life with family and friends, enjoying many things including dancing, listening to music, watching college football and old westerns, especially John Wayne, taking walks, kayaking, fishing, going on road trips, telling jokes, playing card games, working on old cars, helping others and just celebrating being alive. He was a dreamer and was always dreaming up his next adventure.
He had a special gift of making you feel cared for and important when you were in his presence. He loved his community and would jump at the opportunity to help someone. He was known to step in to lend a hand without question or expecting anything in return. Jerry was a great example to those around him of living a life like Jesus. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather who devoted his life to the service of others.
Services to honor the life of Jerry will be held Feb. 8, 2025, at Blessed Sacrament Church located at 74462 National Park Drive, Twentynine Palms. The Rosary will start at 9:30 a.m. Mass at 10 a.m. and reception immediately following services.
The family is asking in lieu of flowers to please donate to Blessed Sacrament Church.