August 31, 1935 - July 1, 2023
Eleanor Diane Fullerton Phillips of Fort Collins passed away July 1, 2023, in Fort Collins, CO. She was born August 31, 1935, in Hutchinson, Kansas, the only child of Alva Glenn Fullerton and Katie Virginia Jones Fullerton (Tapscott).
In 1937, after her father died, she and her mother moved to La Junta, CO, to be near relatives. Soon, WWII affected Eleanor's growing up years. She worried about her uncle overseas, listened to war news, dreamed of becoming a medical missionary due to admiration of Mennonite Hospital nurses and influences from Methodist Church teachings. She was athletic, took part in music and drama, and worked at F.W. Woolworths. After graduating from high school in 1953, she attended La Junta (Otero) Junior College, then Colorado A&M majoring in Physical Science. In 1957, she held a Bachelor of Science Degree from Colorado State University.
At college end, a friend suggested they see the world as Trans World Airline “hostesses” for a while. Eleanor, based in Los Angeles, flew on Lockheed L-1049 “Super G” Constellations before jets came in. Her TWA career ended with her engagement to Duke Lee Phillips because engaged or married women were prohibited from working as flight attendants at that time. Eleanor and Duke married June 22, 1958, at the First Methodist Episcopal Church in La Junta. Duke was still an engineering student at CSU, so Eleanor took her first teaching position in the junior high/high school at Cache La Poudre Schools, La Porte, CO - claiming her real education began there.
Eleanor and Duke moved to Carlsbad, CA, (with Duke's job) for several years where she taught middle school social studies, then to Boulder, CO in 1963. Their children grew up in Boulder. Eleanor became an elementary school teacher for Boulder Valley Schools, served on District science and math committees and, in 1985, received a Master of Arts Degree from the University of Colorado.
Taking early retirement in 1991 after teaching in Boulder 25 years, she fulfilled a lifelong dream of becoming a Registered Nurse, graduating with honors from the University of Northern Colorado. She worked at Swedish Medical Center in Englewood and developed a monumental respect for advanced practice nurses. Retiring at age 65, she regretted not having time to experience more in that career.
Eleanor and Duke left Boulder in 1997 for Loveland, then, in 2012, back to Ft. Collins. She enjoyed her book clubs, bridge, gardening, quilting, neighbors and friends and her amazing family. Inheriting her mother's interest in genealogy, Eleanor published a Fullerton-Barrett Family History. She belonged to First United Methodist Church of Loveland, Noon Hour Circle, The Loveland Connection, PALS Parkinson group, Pi Beta Phi, Friends of the Library, Newcomers of Ft. Collins.
Preceding her in death were her parents Alva Fullerton and Virginia Fullerton Tapscott, step-father William David Tapscott, double cousin Lois Fullerton Coffman of Amarillo, step-brother David, 2 step-sisters and grandson, Michael Andrew Johnston.
Surviving Eleanor are Duke Phillips, her husband of 65 years; son, Randal C. Phillips and wife Ann of Centennial; daughter Marcie Phillips Johnston and husband Kevin of Ft. Collins; daughter Jennifer Phillips Purkey and husband Paul of Loveland; grandchildren Rachel Ann Phillips, Rhett Austin Smallwood and wife Taryn Smallwood, Ruth Ann Phillips Cox and husband John Cox, Grant Everette Smallwood and fiancé Sarah Ershig, Sarah Maria Phillips, Miriam Esther Phillips, Kaylee Arran Johnston, Brendan Andrew Johnston; and other dear cousins.
A celebration of life service will be held on Saturday, 11:00 a.m., Kibbey-Fishburn Funeral Home. Inurnment of ashes at First United Methodist Church of Loveland. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Michael J. Fox Parkinson Foundation or the National Parkinson's Institute.
