Tad Lawrence Phillips

Tad Lawrence Phillips, 74, Mandan, North Dakota, passed away Sunday, July 19, 2015, at his home. Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 AM Thursday, July 23, 2015, at DaWise-Perry Funeral Services, Mandan with Chaplain Lori Lundblad officiating. Visitation is scheduled for one hour prior to the service at the funeral home. Burial will be in the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, Mandan.

Tad was born March 18, 1941, at Globe, Arizona, to Lawrence and Rosemary (Howard) Phillips. He was raised and educated in Texas. He earned an Associate's Degree at Mission College, Salt Lake City, Utah. On December 3, 1977, he married Margaret "MJ" Staeheli in Essex, Maryland. Tad was a retired Tech Sargent in the US Air Force, where he served for 21 years. He was stationed in Vietnam, Thailand, England, Italy, and all over the United States. After his military service, he worked in customer service for Direct TV and Wells Fargo. He was a member of the American Legion. He enjoyed reading and lately the Harry Potter series. He made it a point to take his grandchildren to all eight of the Harry Potter movies.

He is survived by his wife, MJ Phillips; one daughter, Shannon (Alan) Kuhn, Mandan; one son, Ricky Phillips, Pennsylvania; eight grandchildren, Dylan Kuhn, Mandan, Ciara Kuhn (USAF), Brandon (Tess) Kuhn, Christopher Garrison, Kimberly Garrison, and Katie (Ben) Desjarlais, and Alexi, and Tristan Klein; three great-grandchildren, Emmet Stone and Carter and Nickolas Garrison.

Tad was preceded in death by parents, and one sister, Pat Gilbert.