Harry “Butch” Kenneth Watkins, 73, of Los Lunas, New Mexico passed away in June, 2025. No official obituary can be located. He was born on October 19, 1951 to Kenneth and Thelma Agnes Mayo Watkins.
Harry graduated from Friona High School in 1970. He served proudly in the United States Navy. After the military, he worked for the gas company and post office in Friona.
Later, Harry moved to Los Lunas, New Mexico where he worked as a realtor at Village Realty. He was retired and living in New Mexico when he passed. He is preceded in death by his parents, Kenneth and Thelma Watkins, formerly of Friona.
A special thank you to Jimmy Crawford for his friendship & support and making sure Harry’s beloved dog “Smokee” went to a good home.
Phil Stanton Phipps passed away on Saturday, December 20, 2025, in Friona, Texas, at the age of 82.
Phil was born on January 7, 1943, in Wichita Falls, Texas, to James and Hazel (Wells) Phipps. He attended school in Friona, Texas, and graduated from Friona High School in 1962. Following graduation, Phil began farming in Parmer County. On February 9, 1964, he married Brenda Elaine (Deaton), his closest friend and soulmate. In 1973, the couple relocated to Chicago so Phil could answer a calling as a youth pastor and music minister at a small Baptist church and attended Moody Bible Institute. Phil was a licensed minister for 50 years, faithfully serving his Lord and generously caring for others in many different areas of ministry, including prison ministry and as a Sunday school teacher. He and Brenda were devoted to their church, serving others, and fostering children; they were a good team. Phil loved and cared deeply for his wife and family.
Phil held several different jobs throughout his life—he worked as a mechanic, returned to farming and was employed at a printing factory in Minnesota, and later became a handyman when he moved back to Hereford in 2003, founding Phipps Handy Man Service. Alongside these pursuits, he and Brenda remained active and engaged members of every church they attended. He and Brenda were married 52 wonderful years before her passing in 2015.
Phil was blessed to find companionship and love again, he married Melinda (Brownlow) on June 9, 2018. They enjoyed each other’s fellowship, family, and traveling these last 8 years.
Phil was known for his generosity, strength, reliability, wisdom, compassion, and humility. He demonstrated selflessness and upheld strong biblical values and faith, serving as an example of Christ’s love to both his family and those he encountered.
Those left to cherish his memories are his wife Melinda Phipps of Friona, Texas; children, Leslee Kronberg and her husband Alan of Omaha, Nebraska, Quint Phipps and his wife Regina of Turkey, Texas; Tonya Grant and her husband William of Edenton, North Carolina, and Diane Schuett of Daphne, Alabama; grandchildren, Kyle Kronberg (Jaclyn), Karina Elias (Nate), Korwen Kronberg (Julie), Kirsten Dlagnev (Tervel), Grant Phipps (Icella), Desarae Phipps, Caleb Phipps (Abbey), Anthony Phipps (Shanena), Elaine Phipps, Josiah Phipps, Christopher Phipps, Randi Chambers (Travis), Sidney Wallace, Kalvin Strickland (Kelsey), Kristina Hooper (Brian), Olivia Saunders (Cody), Tyler Strickland (Madison), Jefferson Grant, Haley Bardeaux (Chris), Paige Schmidt (Caleb), Ian Harris, Hunter Harris, Holley Schuett, and Cody Schuett; 28 great grandchildren and one on the way; step daughter, Jynefer Benaquista (Matt); siblings, Lynn Phipps (Janet) of Muskogee, Oklahoma, Tex Phipps (Judy) of Belton, Texas, Dewain Phipps (Sheri) of Iowa Park, Texas, Gary Phipps (Carla) of Hereford, Texas, Ramona Eischen (Ted) of Iowa, Evalee Mark (Paul) of Tennessee, and Stewart Hampton (Pat) of Tennessee; and numerous loving nieces, nephews, and cousins.
He is preceded in death by his parents James (Rosetta) Phipps and Hazel (Kenneth) Hampton, wife Brenda Phipps, and son Dale Phipps.
A Celebration of Life Service honoring Phil was on Saturday, December 27, 2025, at 11:00 AM, at the Nazarene Family Church in Hereford, with Pastor Ted Taylor officiating. Burial followed at Rest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Hereford under the personal care and direction of Mendez and Mullins Family Funeral Home of Hereford. A Family and Friend Visitation was on Friday, December 26, 2025, from 5:00 – 7:00 PM at the funeral home.