Robert Phillips

Robert “Bob” Phillips

August 5, 1939 ~ April 11, 2016

If you ever wanted details on how any road, bridge, or tunnel in Utah was built, or if you needed someone to identify a strange insect on your wall, or if a joke or nugget of wisdom could cheer you up, the person to ask was Robert “Bob” Phillips. A cherished husband, father, grandfather, and friend, Bob ended his long struggle with cancer on April 11, 2016, with family by his side.

Surviving are Bob’s wife and best friend of nearly 60 years, Judy; his four children, Kelly (Diana), Rick (Jany), Mike, and Jenni (Rex); his siblings, David, Michael, and Annalee; 15 grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, Robert and Edna; his son-in-law, Christopher Tanner, and his grandson, Ryan.

Bob was born in Spanish Fork, Utah on August 5, 1939. He grew up in Cache Valley, and graduated from Logan High School. In January of 1961, he married his sweetheart, Judy Crockett. Their marriage was later solemnized in the Logan LDS temple. Together, they crisscrossed the country in the U.S. Air Force. Bob was in the air as a pilot, while Judy was on land tending new babies Kelly and Rick.

Bob earned his bachelor’s from Utah State University in entomology, a degree with great practical application for his chosen field of … construction. For forty years, if it paved, bored, tunneled, dug, scooped, rolled, or dozed, he knew how it worked, what it cost, and the right company from which to source it. As a bid estimator for Parson Construction, and later for Whitaker Construction, Bob poured his heart into his work, making profits for the company and forging lasting friendships with colleagues.

In 1970, Bob became an unlikely contributor to one of the world’s most significant works of earth art, the Spiral Jetty. He agreed to take on the project for artist Robert Smithson when other contractors had flatly refused. His association with the Jetty and Smithson’s untimely death gave him opportunities later in life to serve as an expert on its history. Bob told the story of the Jetty’s construction to scores of art enthusiasts and journalists—not the typical crowd for a lifelong construction worker. Eventually, he came to see his work on the Jetty as his signature achievement, and he often said that he became a part of something bigger than himself by simply saying “yes” to an opportunity.

Bob’s grandchildren, to whom he always said “yes,” were a source of boundless joy in his life. After retiring, he began a second career as a full-time grandpa. Tutor, chauffeur, counselor, spectator, and comedian were just a few of the items on his new job description. He especially enjoyed riding in the car with his grandchildren, and a brief trip for ice cream would suddenly become an hour-long excursion when he decided to take one of his patented “shortcuts.”

Although he was a man of few words, Bob’s actions communicated his devotion to his work, his friends, and especially his family. As the consummate family man, he was quick with a joke, generous with a smile, easy to love, and impossible to forget.

Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, April 19, 2016 at 11 a.m. at the Pleasant Valley Stake Center, 5640 S. 850 E., South Ogden.  Friends may visit with family on Monday from 6 to 8 p.m. at Lindquist’s Ogden Mortuary, 3408 Washington Blvd. and Tuesday from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the church. Interment, Logan City Cemetery.