Memorial Trees
A
Anonymous
July 06, 2025
T
The staff at Carlson-Lillemoen Funeral Home
July 03, 2025
Memorial trees planted for:
W. Dianne "Dede" Phillips
<p><p>Wilma Dianne (“Dede”) Phillips, 88, of Cambridge, passed away on Wednesday July 2, 2025 at Grace Pointe Crossing in Cambridge. </p> <p>She was born on July 26, 1936, at Abbott Hospital in Minneapolis, to Luther Forest Davis and Miriam (Stokes) Davis. Dede grew up in Wadena, Minnesota, the oldest of seven children. During World War II, her father, a general practitioner, served in the Army Medical Corps and the family was assigned to several locations in the northwest and southwest US. While living in Wadena, Dede’s family split their time between their home in town, and a cabin on Blanche Lake, where they spent the summer months. In her school age years, Dede, an avid reader, was active in girl scouts, band, choir, declamation and cheerleading; she graduated from Wadena high School in 1954. Following high school, she attended Macalester College in Saint Paul and graduated in 1957 with a Bachelor of Arts in Speech and English. </p> <p>On August 24, 1957, she married Charles (“Charlie”) Phillips, her high school sweetheart, in Wadena. They lived in St. Paul for a few months while Charlie worked as a pharmacist intern, before moving to Bemidji, and eventually to Cambridge in May 1960, when Charlie was hired as a pharmacist at Anderson Drug. Dede had been pursuing a teaching credential when she and Charlie were married, but she delayed her teaching career to raise a family. She would restart her training a few years later, when the youngest of their three sons started school. She substitute-taught initially, before landing a position at Cambridge High School, where she taught speech, English and debate. After a handful of years at CHS, she took a break from teaching, when she and Charlie took on the role of Presidents of the US Air Force Academy Minnesota Parents Club. Dede would return to the classroom a few years later, teaching speech at Anoka Ramsey Community College. She also worked part time as a buyer for the Anderson Drug gift department. </p> <p>Dede was active at the local United Methodist Church for the entire time she lived in Cambridge. She volunteered in several roles, including Church Council member and Sunday School Superintendent, and sang in the choir’s alto section for over 50 years. In recent years, she even proofread the weekly bulletin. Notably, she anchored the annual “Hanging of the Greens” event at the church each Advent Season for many years, authoring and delivering many of the readings. Dede was also involved in the local installation of the Order of the Eastern Star, not only acting as a district level instructor for 15+ years, but also as the Grand Chaplain for the state of Minnesota, from 1983-84. </p> <p>Dede was also a lifetime member of the Purple Hawk Country Club, golfing in the women’s league for many years. She loved fishing, and she and Charlie made a number of trips to the Lake of the Woods for Muskie fishing! Another favorite was an annual trip to Maui, which they continued until their retirement, after which they wintered each year in Arizona. Dede was active in their retirement park community in Tucson, joining the choir as well as writing and storytelling groups. She continued to travel to Tucson in the winter, following Charlie’s death in 2010, but eventually her lack of mobility made those trips more difficult. During her solo years, she volunteered at the hospital, reading to patients in memory care, and was a regular volunteer at the Shalom Thrift Shop in Cambridge. She also made a trip to France and Normandy beach, an item that had been on her and Charlie’s “bucket list.” Dede moved to Grace Pointe Crossing in November 2023. </p> <p>Dede was known - and will be remembered for having the “gift of gab:” In her own words, she spoke “in paragraphs, not sentences!” She was always engaging others, even complete strangers, in conversation, often brightening their day - and making new friends. </p> <p>She was preceded in death by her parents, and her husband Charlie. Dede is survived by all 6 of her siblings, sons Chuck and wife Mim of Edmonds, Washington, Gregg and wife Jill of Woodbury, Michael and wife Kristen of Apple Valley, eight grandchildren Micah, Wesley, Noah, Rachel, Megan, Emily, Austin and Madeline, and eight great grandchildren. </p> <p>Memorial Service 11AM, Saturday, July 26, 2025 at Common Ground A United Methodist Community. Visitation one hour prior to the service. Private interment in Cambridge Union Cemetery.</p> </p>July 26, 1936 - July 2, 202507/26/193607/02/2025
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