Ronald W. Phillips

Ronald Warren Phillips left us February 18, 2026, in Centennial, Colorado. Ron was born in Colorado Springs to Orley Oliver Phillips and Bernice Mahon Phillips on April 5, 1933, the 3rd generation born in Colorado on his father’s side. His family moved a lot when he was young, following his father's work projects as a civil engineer, but he graduated from Denver South High School in 1951. After an adventuresome gap year, he went to the University of Colorado, Boulder where he met his life partner Margot M. Heersema. They married in 1954 and moved to what is now Centennial, Colorado in 1959, where they raised their three children.

For most of his professional life Ron was a commercial photographer and he was an avid landscape photographer as a hobby. He started his lifelong love of firearms competition in high school, where he was on the ROTC rifle team. He had a chance to try out for the 1952 Olympics, but decided he’d rather spend time on cars and girls. He later came back to it and was an active participant in local chapters of the US Practical Shooting Association and became a well-respected firearms instructor. His love for cars took him from road racing Porsches in the 50s, to four-wheeling, and long road trips (he’d always rather drive than fly!). Ron was a great teacher of driving, photography, and fishing, to name a few things. He was a history buff and Anazazi enthusiast and was a man who embodied lifelong learning. To his children and grandchildren, he gave his passion for the outdoors, with many road trips involving camping, fishing, 4-wheeling, and hiking. He and Margot saw a lot of the country in retirement, driving to Alaska, Newfoundland, and the Florida Keys. He was truly a lifelong partner to his wife, providing loving care for her through her descent into dementia. His was a life well lived.

Ron is survived by his three children, Sarah Phillips, Martha Phillips (Thom Skelly), and John Phillips (Mickie Thompson Phillips), and four grandchildren, Kiernan Skelly, Margaret Skelly, Madeline Phillips, and Leo Phillips. He was preceded in death by his wife of almost 68 years, Margot Heersema Phillips. 

The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Project Healing Waters, whose mission is healing veterans through the therapeutic art of fly fishing (https://projecthealingwaters.org).