Services Set for Darell Phillips, Ex-Publisher

A memorial service will be held Wednesday for former Manteca publisher Darell Phillips, whose body was found more than a week after he was swept downstream in a storm-swollen creek.

Phillips, 62, fell into the swift waters of Calaveritas Creek on Feb. 3 while crossing a footbridge with his wife, Patsy. A helicopter crew spotted his body Tuesday about two miles downstream.

The couple were walking from their home to their pickup truck when they saw waist-high waters heading their way, sheriff’s deputies said. Patsy Phillips decided to turn back, but Darell Phillips continued on, then lost his footing and fell.

Phillips began his career at his hometown newspaper, the Manteca Bulletin, in 1959 after graduating from college and playing minor league baseball. He served as news editor and then managing editor before leaving the newspaper to become sports editor at the Modesto Bee in 1965.

He started the Manteca News in 1977. Two years later, he returned to the Bulletin as publisher and kept that job until last July, when he left to pursue other ventures. Phillips was on his way to sign papers to buy the weekly Calaveras Enterprise when he died.

While at the Bulletin, Phillips won California Newspaper Publishers Assn. awards for editorial writing in 1982, 1985, 1986 and 1990. A memorial fund has been established by the association, which he served as president in 1993.

Besides his wife, Phillips is survived by four sons, two daughters and three grandchildren.