Donna Jean Phillips, age 78, of Manhattan, died January 9, 2022, at Meadowlark Hills – Stolzer House.
She was born June 22, 1943, in Dodge City, Kansas, the daughter of Ward and Edna (Beard) Sims.
Donna graduated from Hays High School in Hays, KS.
She married Stanley Vincent Irvin in Hays. They later divorced. She married Alan Lee Phillips on June 10,1972, in Lincoln, Nebraska.
While visiting the Phillips Family farm pasture near Olsburg, KS, in the early 1970’s, she and Alan became inspired and decided their life mission would be to form a retreat at that location. In 1974, they founded the Living Water Ranch Retreat and Conference Center. This God-inspired retreat became a beloved location, not only to area residents but to countless others who came for rest, relaxation, business, pleasure or simply to get away from life’s distractions.
Alan preceded Donna in death on January 8, 2018.
Survivors include her two sons: Mark Irvin and his wife Rafeala of Germany, and Mike Irvin and his wife Lisa of Olsburg; seven grandchildren: Blessed, Melissa, Crystal, Jeremy, Braden, Jaron and Machella; numerous great-grandchildren: and three sisters: Linda North of Hays, KS, Cindy Schwartz of Breckenridge, CO, and Janet Sims of Lenexa, KS.
The family will receive friends from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Monday, January 17th, at the Yorgensen-Meloan-Londeen Funeral Home. Private family services will be held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers the family has requested that memorial contributions may be made to either the Living Water Ranch or the Flint Hills Foster Teen Camps. Contributions may be left in care of the Yorgensen-Meloan-Londeen Funeral Home, 1616 Poyntz Avenue, Manhattan, KS 66502.