Joe Phillips

Joe J. Phillips, age 63, of Prairie du Chien, Wis., and formerly of Milwaukee, Wis., passed away Friday, February 4, 2005, at the Prairie du Chien Memorial Hospital following a courageous battle with cancer. Funeral services were held Monday, February 7 at Garrity Funeral Home in Prairie du Chien.
Joe was born February 4, 1942, in Milwaukee, son of Joseph and Clara (Pekrum) Phillips. He married Karen Cassel on October 14, 1961, at St. Hyacinth Church in Milwaukee. He worked as an industrial millwright for Briggs and Stratton in Milwaukee for 31 years until his retirement. He was a member of the Local No. 7232 Pace Union and the Eagles Club. Joe enjoyed yard work on his Craftsman tractor and woodworking.
He is survived by his wife of 43 years, Karen Phillips of Prairie du Chien; a daughter, Dawn (David) Johnson of Watertown, Wis.; a son, Jeffrey (Mary) Phillips of Manitowoc, Wis.; two brothers, Dan (Chris) of Pewaukee, Wis., and Mike (Millie) of West Allis, Wis.; four grandchildren; and his mother-in-law, Virginia (Merlin) Kruger of Harpers Ferry, Iowa.
He was preceded in death by his parents and three sisters, Beverly Leist, Adeline Callahan, and Nancy Coulthurst.