In Memory of Eva Jane Phillips

     It is with great sadness we share the passing of our beloved wife, mom, grandma, and great-grandma on November 1, 2026, at the age of 85. Born in California to Chester and Jewel Cutler on May 9, 1941, she and her family moved to Elk, Washington, at the age of five, where she was the 3rd in a family of five children.

     Raised on a small dairy, she lived a childhood full of excitement which included but was certainly not limited to skinny-dipping in the creek, solving neighborhood disagreements “the ole fashioned way”, and riding her cows while she dreamed of having a horse someday. Throughout her life she shared many stories of adventure and perhaps the greatest of all began when she was just 15 she was introduced to a handsome young airman from Oklahoma City who was stationed at Fairchild Airforce base. After meeting, they wrote letters to each other often and, when she turned 16, she was permitted to go on her first date. From that point forward, they were inseparable and for two years they made many memories. A storyteller, she told many tales of working multiple odd jobs to make ends meet, dropping eggs on people walking below their downtown Spokane, and talking her friends into “borrowing” a calf and loading it into the backseat of her boyfriend’s Chevrolet sedan.

     On July 25, 1959, she married the love of her life, Jerry Euguene Phillips and began a journey that was filled with love, laughter, hard work, and a fierce dedication to family. In 1960, Jerry was done serving in the United States Airforce and they relocated to Oklahoma City for work in the family auction house. There they added two beautiful children, a daughter, Susan, and a son, Jerry Jr., to make their family complete. After some time, an opportunity to work on the quality control team at Boeing was presented, and they moved to Edmonds, WA. It was there that a dream came to reality; she bought her first two horses in 1973. This brought on a whole new chapter of adventure; while she and Susan rode horses, Jerry and JR rode dirtbikes in the hills. Eventually, they purchased a piece of land in Bothell where they built the home of their dreams. A home that was called Phillips’ Bear Creek Ranch became a hub for horseman in the area. They bought her first papered horse on a whim at the Snaffle Bit Futurity. This horse opened a door to her pursuit of becoming a horsewoman and, ultimately, led her to purchase her beloved Playper. Purchased through Jim Babcock, Playper brought many more adventures, lifelong relationships, and an opportunity to create a successful breeding business bringing quality reining and working cowhorses to the PNW.

     As we know, life brings things to us in chapters, and in 2008 Phillips’ Bear Creek Ranch was sold and they moved to Bellingham to be nearer to family. Retirement began with the purchase of their first 5th-wheel and off they went making more memories. From spending winters in Arizona, outrunning tornadoes in Oklahoma, and defying the odds of off-roading to Buck Meadows, they made many more memories to be told at the dinner table. In 2010, the next chapter of memory-making began with the birth of their first great-grandchildren. Being “GG” to nine, Tayce, Kestin, Addison, Ruby, Tate, Zion, and Lily, brought her much joy. In 2024, the last road trip to Arizona brought much joy to her days and she looked forward to being near family during the holidays and other celebrations. Her final days were spent in Colville, WA for which she frequently reflected on the wonderful circle she traveled returning to her “home” just north of Elk, WA.

     “Janie” as she was affectionately called by the love of her life, Jerry, lived larger than life and her young-at-heart spirit departed her aged body in his arms; just the way she always promised it would be. She was preceded in death by her parents, her siblings Martha (Bud) Roberts, Cady (Chuna) Cutler, Bob (Connie) Cutler, “Baby boy” Cutler, her sons Jerry Jr. and Ken Linse, and many, many friends. 

     She is survived by her deeply devoted husband of 67 years, Jerry Phillips, daughter Susan (Ken) Linse, grandchildren Julie (Zane) Gibbons, Stephanie Epic, James (Mandy) Linse, and Jenelle (Richard) Wooden, and her treasured “great-grandbabies”.

     Eva leaves a legacy of love, adventure, hard work, loyalty, and a passion for living life to its fullest. Just as she lived her life committed to family, she wished to have a quiet, intimate, and immediate family only service, which will be held in Colville.

     Please visit the online memorial and sign the guest book at www.danekasfuneralchapel.com Danekas Funeral Chapel and Crematory is entrusted with the arrangements.