Philip (Phil) McCollam died on Thursday, February 14, 2013, at the Help for Health Hospice Home in Riverton, Wy. As were his wishes, cremation has taken place and a Celebration of Life will be held on June 8, 2013 on their homestead in Winner, SD.
Philip Benjamin McCollam was born on June 7, 1933, in Dixon, SD, to Benjamin Crooks and Esther Anna Marguerite (Engel) McCollam. As a young child, around the age of 5, he started to help his dad with construction work. When he became an adult, his father helped him with construction. The many houses Phil designed and built during his lifetime were a tremendous source of pride to him and his family.
He went to Lincoln Country School and graduated from Winner High School, in SD. He also attended South Dakota State University in Brookings.
Phil was a Korean War veteran, serving for two years before meeting Roxanna Geneva Gonyo and getting married in Peirre, SD. Together they raised two sons and three daughters.
The family lived in Brookings and Yankton, SD before moving to Wyoming when Phil started working for the U.S. Geological Survey as a hydrologist. His work took them to Casper, Lovell, Riverton, Cheyenne, Worland, and Green River, before returning to Riverton. After 30 years at a job he thoroughly enjoyed, Phil retired on December 7, 1989. He was fortunate enough to be able to work in the mountains and along the streams where wildlife often observed him.
He was a member of The National Honor Society, Elks for 36 years, Masons, and Toastmasters. He enjoyed gardening, fishing, hunting, carpentry, and many hours sharing a lifetime of experiences with his 13 grandchildren and extended family.
He is survived by his wife, Roxanna of Riverton; his sons, Richard (Tracy) McCollam of Lafayette, CA and Paul (Vida) McCollam of Idaho Falls, ID; daughters, Susan (Cal) Wylie of Elkhart, KS, Gwenith (Todd) Hofeldt of Millboro, SD, Mary (Jerry) Erdahl of Tensleep, SD, and Carol McCollam of Sacramento, CA; his brothers, John McCollam, Floyd McCollam, and David (Joyce) McCollam; his sisters, Rosemary (Bill) Hartland and Virginia (Dick) Huettmann; his grandchildren, Matthew Walker, Phillip McCollam, William Wylie, John, Scott, and Kevin Erdahl, Michael Hofeldt, Jack and Ryan McCollam, Katie Erdahl, Misti Hofeldt Novonty, Tricia Hofeldt, and Katie McCollam.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Ben and Esther; brothers, Steve McCollam and Delano McCollam; his sister, Dortha Wheeler; his brother-in-law, Jack Wheeler; a niece, Lisa Huettmann; and nephew Willie Hartland.
Memorials may be made to Help for Health Hospice in care of Davis Funeral Home. On-line condolences for the family may be made at www.TheDavisFuneralHome.com.
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Philip Benjamin McCollam was born on June 7, 1933, in Dixon, SD, to Benjamin Crooks and Esther Anna Marguerite (Engel) McCollam. As a young child, around the age of 5, he started to help his dad with construction work. When he became an adult, his father helped him with construction. The many houses Phil designed and built during his lifetime were a tremendous source of pride to him and his family.
He went to Lincoln Country School and graduated from Winner High School, in SD. He also attended South Dakota State University in Brookings.
Phil was a Korean War veteran, serving for two years before meeting Roxanna Geneva Gonyo and getting married in Peirre, SD. Together they raised two sons and three daughters.
The family lived in Brookings and Yankton, SD before moving to Wyoming when Phil started working for the U.S. Geological Survey as a hydrologist. His work took them to Casper, Lovell, Riverton, Cheyenne, Worland, and Green River, before returning to Riverton. After 30 years at a job he thoroughly enjoyed, Phil retired on December 7, 1989. He was fortunate enough to be able to work in the mountains and along the streams where wildlife often observed him.
He was a member of The National Honor Society, Elks for 36 years, Masons, and Toastmasters. He enjoyed gardening, fishing, hunting, carpentry, and many hours sharing a lifetime of experiences with his 13 grandchildren and extended family.
He is survived by his wife, Roxanna of Riverton; his sons, Richard (Tracy) McCollam of Lafayette, CA and Paul (Vida) McCollam of Idaho Falls, ID; daughters, Susan (Cal) Wylie of Elkhart, KS, Gwenith (Todd) Hofeldt of Millboro, SD, Mary (Jerry) Erdahl of Tensleep, SD, and Carol McCollam of Sacramento, CA; his brothers, John McCollam, Floyd McCollam, and David (Joyce) McCollam; his sisters, Rosemary (Bill) Hartland and Virginia (Dick) Huettmann; his grandchildren, Matthew Walker, Phillip McCollam, William Wylie, John, Scott, and Kevin Erdahl, Michael Hofeldt, Jack and Ryan McCollam, Katie Erdahl, Misti Hofeldt Novonty, Tricia Hofeldt, and Katie McCollam.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Ben and Esther; brothers, Steve McCollam and Delano McCollam; his sister, Dortha Wheeler; his brother-in-law, Jack Wheeler; a niece, Lisa Huettmann; and nephew Willie Hartland.
Memorials may be made to Help for Health Hospice in care of Davis Funeral Home. On-line condolences for the family may be made at www.TheDavisFuneralHome.com.
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