Ivan R. Phillips was born May 8, 1949 in Alliance, Nebraska.  He grew up and spent most of his life working with horses and cattle.  What he lacked in formal education he more than made up for in common sense and hard work.  He learned how to ride, drive, or operate anything; always willing to give something new a try.  The last half of his life was spent operating the family's homestead north of Whitman, Nebraska.

He married Phyllis Mae Kennedy from Arthur, Nebraska on August 23, 1968, in Gering, Nebraska.  They had two sons Don (Val) of Omaha and Dean (Karen) of Valentine.   As proud as he was of his two boys he was even more proud of his five grandchildren, McKenna "Sparky", Samantha "Sam", Mazi, Landon and Cooper.

His cows were special to him, but he never missed an opportunity to ride or work with his horses.  He had a lot of pride in those horses.  He enjoyed using Belgians to put up hay and feed cows and a good saddle horse was not only a tool for the ranch but the best way to just see the country.  He had many fond memories of breaking horses and coyote hunting on horseback with his good friend Jason Garwood.

Ivan passed away on April 15, 2025, at Gordon Memorial Hospital in Gordon, Nebraska. He was preceded in death by his parents Chester Alfred "Mick" and Mildred May (Parkhurst), his older sister Ella May King, sister in-law Gloria (Kennedy) Hutchison, brother in-laws Donald "Mickey" Kennedy, Dan Glewwe, Jerry Kennedy, Darrell King, niece Angel Flick, and many good friends and neighbors.

He is survived by his wife, sons, grandchildren, sister in-laws Nancy Glewwe, Kathy (Lionel) Williams, brother-in-law Kenny (Laurel) Kennedy, and numerous nieces, nephews, friends and neighbors.

He chose not to have a funeral service but requested he be cremated with his ashes scattered at the ranch.  Ivan would have wanted to thank all the nurses who did their best to make his life easier the past few years.  He was also thankful for the generosity and kindness of his neighbors – the good old fashioned kind who pitched in, without his asking, to help an ol' cowboy.