Marylee Phillips

Marylee (Kiene) Phillips of Emporia passed away Monday, April 29, 2024. She was 92.

Born in St. Mary’s Hospital in Emporia on Oct. 15, 1931, she was the daughter of Frank Anton Kiene and Gertrude Cecilia (Hughes) Kiene. Her parents and her brother, Francis Anthony Kiene, preceded her in death.

She attended grade school at Sacred Heart School in Emporia and graduated from Emporia High School in 1949. She graduated from Kansas State Teachers College in 1954 with a B.S. degree in business.

She married William F. Phillips on April 19, 1958, at Sacred Heart Church in Emporia. He died March 11, 2008. She is survived by her daughter, Mary Kay Woods (Mark) of Ottawa; son, Mark Phillips (Amy Houston) of Wichita; sister, Carol Ann Herbert (Jerry) of Lenexa; five grandchildren, Molly Otto (Aaron) of Emporia, Matthew Woods of Ottawa, Chase Phillips (Joni) of Augusta, Chelsea Maxwell (Ryan) of Augusta, and Chad Phillips of Augusta. She is also survived by eight great-grandchildren, Kathryn Woods, Leiam Woods, Oaks Otto, Opal Otto, Carbon Phillips, Corinne Phillips, Nash Phillips, Sophia Maxwell and Connor Maxwell.

She worked at Newman’s Department Store and taught at Osage City High School, Chisolm Trail Middle School, McLouth High School and Eudora High School. She also worked at Sacred Heart Church, the Emporia State Alumni Association and the Catholic Campus Center before retiring in 1994.

Her memberships included Sacred Heart Church, Sacred Heart Church Altar Society, Emporia Retired Teachers and Etude Study Club. She was a caretaker for her family members, including her parents and aunts, Catherine, Margaret, Alice and Mary Hughes. She volunteered at Sacred Heart Church, Holiday Resort and Newman Hospital.

Marylee enjoyed traveling with Bill and their friends. They took trips to Canada, Mexico and around the United States. She was an avid Emporia State University and KU sports fan.

The Rosary will be at 6:30 p.m. with the Visitation taking place from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Tuesday, May 7, 2024, at Roberts-Blue-Barnett Funeral Home.  Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, May 8, 2024, at Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church with burial following at Sacred Heart Cemetery.  Memorial contributions to the William F. Phillips & Vernita Rich Scholarship Fund at E.S.U. can be sent in care of Roberts-Blue-Barnett Funeral Home, P.O. Box 175, Emporia, Kansas 66801.