Johnnie Robert Phillips

"Johnnie, I am honored that I had the chance to know you as a friend and will never forget anything you taught me on my 1st pipeline job with Boots Smith. You were a great friend and mentor. I will miss our 1 or 3 called a year. I will treasure those long ass phone calls lol.
I'll miss you GOD BLESS YOU til we meet again 🙏 ❤"

"Well dad, I wish more than anything that I wasn’t having to do any of this and that you were still here, but since I am having to; I hope I would have made you proud and that you would have liked the arrangements that I made. I tried to include the things you loved the most; your saddle as a reminder that I once knew a real life cowboy, your buttoniere was made using a fishing lure because those are the moments spent with mom that you’ve enjoyed and talked about the most, your glasses so that you can be sure to see how beautiful heaven is, Albert brought paw-paws flag that was folded at his ceremony and put it beside you so that you’d have a piece of your own dad to keep you company tonight, and yes I know I destroyed a few of your shirts lol but it was for a good reason- those shirts will being a small shred of comfort to us on the days when we are missing you the most and just need to hug you, and lastly your black cowboy hat because any and everyone who ever met you always knew you by “your trademark” that black felt cowboy hat amd you wore it well. Nothing about any of this has been or will be easy and normally in these situations I would always turn to you for advice, for strength and for a shoulder when I need to just cry about it; but for the very first time in my 34 years of life I can’t do that. I want to thank you for being the amazing man that you were and for all the things you taught me over the years. It wasn’t often that you and I agreed on many things; but even when you didn’t think I was listen to you or that I didn’t care- what you had to say, your opinion, and your advice meant everything to me. It’s been a whole week already that you’ve been gone and although I’ve kept it together and done what I had to do, I’m still not ready to admit to myself that this is all real and that I have to say goodbye. Of all the rings you taught me dad, you never taught me anything about how to live without you. This is one of the hardest things I have ever had to do in my life and it is killing me to think about you being gone. I just want my daddy back! I don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow when for the very last time for the rest of my life I’ll see you and get to touch you. Tomorrow is the the last goodbye and I’m not ready… I wasn’t ready for the first one, and even though i think you knew something was wrong and just didn’t want us to worry about you and you in your own way told me goodbye when you made it a point to put your arm on my leg and get my attention and told me “I love you baby”. I told you I love you too dad but as I was standing up you squeezed my knee and said the “I love you” in a more serious tone amd I said “I know and I love you too daddy” I didn’t understand at the time but now I know you were making sure I knew you loved me because you were telling me goodbye. I wasnt ready then to say goodbye to you, I’m still not and I’m not sure if I will ever be! You were so many things to so many people; a boss, a colleague, a mentor, a friend, a son, an uncle, a grandpa, a husband, and a father but to me you were so much more than any of those things. In my eyes You were Superman; my very own personal invincible super hero. There was nothing you couldn’t do, nothing you couldnt fix, and nothing that you didn’t know about. You could do the impossible as far as I was concerned, and you were supposed to be here with me forever; or at least that’s what I thought and because of that I took our time together for granted more than I should have because I would do anything in this world even for just a few moments of some of that time back with you. If I had known Tuesday morning when I came down to help you that that would be our very last day together, the very last conversation we would ever have, the very last I love you that I would ever get, the very last hug, you’re very last smile and my very last opportunity to make sure that you knew just how much you meant to me, how important you were to me, that id do anything in this world to make sure I made you proud because my only fear used to be disappointing you- now that fear is having to face this world without you beside me. Today had its hard moments but tomorrow, when we close that casket and we lay you to rest for the very last time; it isn’t just you that I’ll be burying at that cemetery… it will also be a huge part of myself with you because you were such a big part of me! I fought so hard to keep you here with me dad, and even though some of you came back to me, most of you decided to leave me here despite my best efforts. I wish everything I did to keep you here had actually worked and this post wouldn’t be necessary. I love you so much daddy.. MORE THAN YOULL EVER KNOW OR COULD EVEN IMAGINE.

“I’ll see you when I see you and I hope it’s someday real soon…”

From a hard hat and jeans to angel wings.
I hope you rest easy daddy and don’t forget that I’ll see you real soon! 😘😘"

"Praying that you will be filled with wonderful memories and surrounded by love. With warm thoughts, and deep sympathy you are in our prayers.
Bonney and Travis Bryan"