Martin "Preston" Phipps

M. Preston Phipps (aka Pres, PP, Hoghead, Knothead, Scissorbill)

March 4th, 1928 - April 23rd, 2026

Shawnee, KS

Preston was born in Athol, Missouri to Julia Jane Walker and Floy Ray Phipps. He had 3 siblings, Tommy, Iris, and Judy. Sadly, Tommy was killed at age 9…thus starting the family going to church. A friend of his mother’s would pick them up and take them to the RLDS church in Argentine; Grandma Julia did not drive. Preston was baptized at the age of 14 and attended the Zion league at the K.C. Stake branch. In the summer, he played volleyball and competed in tournaments between the different branches of the church. He also rollerskated. He graduated from Shawnee Mission Rural (now known as Shawnee Mission North) in 1947. He enlisted into the Naval reserves later that year on August 19th, 1947 and served on the USS Charles S. Sperry (DD-697) from March 20th,1949 through April 2nd, 1949 out of Tampa, Fl. (He was honorably discharged later on August 18th, 1952). Dad was also part of the Boat and Ski club in which he built his own wooden boat by hand during this time period.

In 1949, he married Shirley and had Steve and Marcia. They lived up the hill off 34th St and Merriam Lane behind the Nigros Western Wear building. He would take Steve and Marcia to church on Wednesdays. Preston was working fulltime at the Railroad 7 days a week. After several years, Preston and Shirley divorced.

While going to Camp Donaphin, he met his second wife, MaryLou. Dad knew Mom from volleyball play at the church. They married January 18th, 1959 and bought a home in Shawnee Village. With the help of Susan, Tammy, and church friends, Dad dug out the basement by hand. Mom had a daughter, Kathy, from a previous marriage, Dad had Steve and Marcia and together, they had Tammy, Susan, and Amy. It was “his, hers, and ours” type of family. And what a beautiful family it would become, thanks to Dad.

Still working at Santa Fe, 7 days a week, Dad became an ordained Deacon in 1965. He worked a lot, even picking up shifts on the “X” board. When he would have to work on Sundays, he would stop by the church at Shawnee Drive and make sure things were in order for the day. One such Sunday, a police officer stopped by and questioned Dad as to what he was doing there. He was making sure everything was in good shape for the service.

The family left Shawnee Drive in 1967 and started attending the Olathe group. Dad would help build the church when afforded the time. During the summers, he would take the family on AAA road trips to see 2/3rds of this great Nation, even going across the border and deep into Mexico. He valued seeing the many different states and learning along the way the history of where he took the family. Have camper, will travel; was his motto. It was important to him. When the tires hit the entrance ramp for the trip, a family prayer would be prayed to guide us and keep us safe on our journey and it did. He also took the family every August to Beaver Lake, staying at various campgrounds until Indian Creek became available in the early 60’s (only caveat was navigating the steep gravel hill). Any part of the family was invited down to Beaver Lake; it was a sort of large gathering for all the Phipps siblings and their families.

In 1968, Dad and Mom left Shawnee Drive and started going to the Glendale Restoration Branch in Independence, Mo. Sometime in here, Dad picked up a 2nd full-time job at Shawnee Automotive working on cars. He was a grease-monkey gear-head for sure. (Dad also worked at Fischer’s but not certain on the dates)

Dad and Mom went every Christmas to Steve and Marcia’s homes to exchange gifts. (Amy had a lot of fun playing with her nephews and their transformers)

In 1988, MaryLou developed breast cancer. We were attending Enoch Hill branch for church.

By 1990, Dad was able to retire from Santa Fe, however, a month into it, he fell and broke his neck in the back yard while trimming the trees on a ladder with a chainsaw. God spared his life and recovery wouldn’t have been possible without the healing waters at Beaver Lake and the women at the Rehab facility by Shawnee Mission Hospital. For the following year, February 1991, Mom passed away, leaving Dad to take care of a 16yr old daughter. Dad and Amy started attending Glendale, now situated in a grade school gymnasium off Lee Summit Road in Independence.

Throughout work and retirement, he was vested in ALL the band events and sporting games provided by his children and his grandkids, even going as chaperone on 3 band trips. He was affectionately known as “Grandpa” to all the kids. Even after we all graduated, Dad still attended the volleyball and softball games of SMNW.

In 2000, Dad’s house burnt down due to an electrical fire, but Dad persevered with the help of Tammy working with the contractors and rebuilt. He helped Amy through X-ray school during that time and then in 2003, when Amy decided to buy Gma Julia’s house, helped with rebuilding his childhood home. He went over there to help replace all the windows and “oversee” the progress. He was tickled pink to see it come back to life.

Dad tried dating a few times but knew he would not get married again. Well…..In 2011, a woman by the name of Sue started attending Glendale, now located off 24hwy. The church decided to put on a “chuck wagon” meal and entertainment. Dad dressed up as a cowboy and carried a tin cup on his waist. He faked playing the guitar for the evening and later, Sue came up to him to ask for his autograph. The next week, there was an ice cream social at the church in which Dad asked her to go. He told Amy about this ice cream social on the way to Branson, Mo during one of her work meetings. Twenty or so miles down the road, he then asked,”What would you think, if I asked Sue to marry me?” Caught Amy totally off guard. But she knew Dad had been alone for over 20 years, so she understood. He told Amy that he really did not realize just how lonely he was until he met Sue. On February 18th 2012, Dad married Sue and Amy made their wedding cake. Dad and Sue left Glendale in December of 2014 to goto Farview and then in 2016 went on to Mount Zion. His dedication to the church was amplified after MaryLou’s passing. Often going over several times a week, mowing, building, and making sure everything was ready to go, just like he did back in the day.

Dad was so many things to so many people. He had integrity, strength, an incredible drive to see things through. The ability to make something out of nothing, because you didn’t just go out and buy it when you could make it! He loved to “oversee” things with his hands directly on his hips…..thus the “hands on hips” movement was born (down at Beaver lake).

Dad’s hobbies were plentiful. If he wasn’t on the water boating/skiing, he was working the land over at his Mom and Dad’s place (where Amy lives now) and at his own home. He was a wood carver that created so many items (peach pit monkeys, cowboy boots, howling dogs, cowboys and old maids, to sailors, to army men, to praying hands, Jesus’s bust, and Jesus knocking at the door, to the Santa Claus’s we all have today), that the family will cherish forever.

He did leather working in the 70’s and 80’s, stamping belts, then painting them. Also making checkbook covers and stamping initials into them. Dad was great in the kitchen too! His sourdough pancakes, peanut butter fudge, black walnut chocolate fudge, watergate salad, apple dumplings, Povatica, canning tomatoes, you name it, he could pretty much make it.

He spent every holiday with one of us. Christmas at Marcia’s and Steve’s, Fourth of July in Stilwell with Greg, Susan & JT to Easter with Tammy, Randy and their family and going down to the Lake of the Ozarks with Amy, Bri, Kyle, and his family. He even helped Amy’s mother-in-law Joy, build the retaining rock wall on her property while her house was being built down there in 2006.

He was always tinkering around his house, fixing broken items, or helping others to build what they needed. He was a helper, a do-er, and always there when you needed him. Dedicated to all others around him. He was a Gem!

Dad was the epitome of ornery. He loved to stick his tongue out when you tried to take a picture of him. He knew how to clown around as he would regale us with wiring up his old 1939 chevy and “spark” his dates…including his own sister Iris. Uncle Jim was in on the gig too. Those two were thick as thieves, I bet. He liked to have fun; clean fun. Never destroy anything, he would tell Amy. You can TP someone’s home but do nothing to damage it.

He loved classic cars. Amy grew up going to many car shows, demolition derby’s and got to hang out with him at Shawnee Automotive. He loved big-block engine cars so much that for Susan and later, Amy’s 1st car, he bought a 1974 Laguna, with a 454 engine. He also told us that we could never buy anything but a Chevy, because he would refuse to work on it. LOL!

He admitted to taking one of his trucks back in the day down “dead-man’s curve” at 80mph (stretch of Midland drive going south from 71st to Blackfish pkwy, aka 75th street) That road has since been straightened out a bit, probably because of “knotheads” like Dad.Dad’s priority….FAMILY. In every sense of the word. Dedicated and present, strong, stubborn to a point until we ganged up on him, loyal, honest to the core, stead-fast in his Faith, heart of gold, stubborn, did we say stubborn, we mean STUBBORN. We all have that genetically engrained within us, whether we like it or not.

Dad’s 2nd priority….FAITH. The tragedies he has witnessed and come through to the other side has God written all over it. There is no other explanation other than that because Dad stayed true to his word and family.

Family and Faith were always intertwined with Dad. Couldn’t have one without the other.

Dad was preceded in death by his sister, Judy, MaryLou, Sue, Jim, his brother Tommy, his Mom and Dad. He is survived by Steve & Vicki Peerson, Kathy & Joel Adams, Marcia Gray, Tammy & Randy Phillips, Susan & Greg Pemberton, Amy & Kyle Baze and 14 grandkids/ 15 great grandkids/ 5 great great grandkids.

Dad was so much to so many and he left his mark on each and everyone of us for years to come. He not only built structures with his hands but he also knew how to create the pure definition of Family. Thank you for ALL the memories Dad and Thank you for showing us the true meaning of fellowship and love. Thank you for the Legacy you created through God.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, May 1, 2026 at 10:00am at Amos Family Funeral Home. Visitation will be held an hour prior to service starting at 9:00am going until 10:00am. Burial will follow at Mt. Washington Cemetery in Independence, MO. The family suggests memorials be made to The University of Kansas Health System Olathe Hospice House.