PHIPPS, DOUG AND ALICE

by Doug and Alice Phipps

Entry F341 from the History of Hooker County Nebraska
with permission of the Hooker County Historical Society

Doug and Alice Phipps, 1959.

Beverly, Debra and Bill Phipps children of Doug and Alice, 1965.

Williard Douglas Phipps was born in
Mullen on 1929. He was the middle
son of Russell and Elva Phipps and spent his
entire childhood on their ranch north of
Whitman. He attended the school of agricul-
ture in Curtis, Nebraska the four years of
high school graduating with the class of 1946.
He returned back to the ranch to help his Dad
and Lyle Phipps until 1951 when he was
inducted into the United States Army on July
6. He served at Fort Belvoir, Virginia for nine
months and then in Germany attached to the
Air Force unit. After his discharge on July 8,
1853, he returned home and joined his dad
and brothers, Leonard and Bob, ranching
north of Whitman. Doug enjoyed roping at
rodeos and he and Leonard started a herd of
registered Hereford cattle.

Alice Wyona Dooley was born to Ivan and
Marie Dooley on 1935, being
the first grandchild of Nellie Boyer Isom. She
was raised on her grandmother's ranch nine
miles northwest of Mullen which her dad
leased for twenty-three years. Following
eight years of country school at Reigle School,
Alice graduated from Mullen High School in
1953. She attended Kearney State College for
two summers and taught District 119 in
Cherry County for two years.

Although Alice had gone to school with
Doug's brother Bob, in grade school, she
didn't meet Doug until his return from the
service. They met at one of the weekly
Saturday night dances in Seneca. They were
married on August 18, 1954 in the Methodist
Church in Mullen with Rev. Steinberg offici-
ating. They lived with his parents and she
taught school the following year. In the spring
of 1955 Russell purchased the Wilbert
Ericksen ranch where Doug and Alice lived
for four years. Debra Jean was born on
1955, in Alliance, Nebraska.
Beverly Jo was also born in Alliance on
1958. William Douglas was born
on 1959, in the Mullen Pioneer
Memorial Hospital. Then in the spring of
1958, Doug's brother Bob was killed in a
rodeo accident so the family moved back up
to the main ranch in 1959 and continued
ranching with Phipps Hereford Ranch for
eleven years. Alice cooked for the hired men.
The children attended school at Calf Creek
School. Debra boarded with her Grandma
Dooley in Mullen and attended Junior High.
In May 1970, Doug and Alice purchased the
George Marshall place 25 miles northwest of
Mullen. Beverly and Bill still attended Calf
Creek School for two more years but the
schoolhouse was located at the Marvin Cox
ranch.

The family rented Alice Pool's home in
Mullen when Bev and Bill were ready for
Junior High. Alice moved to town with them
and Doug stayed on the place. In 1973 they
purchased their own lot and bought a trailer
home which they used until all the children
were out of school.

Debra married Ed Arends on September 8,
1973, who was in the Air Force. They were
stationed in Rapid City, South Dakota, for a
year and then lived in Anchorage, Alaska for
two years. They moved to Kearney, Nebraska
where Ed completed his college term and
graduated from KSC in December, 1979. Two
children were born while in Kearney. Cori
Rae on 1977, and Brant Russell on
1978. Ed accepted a position in
Elwood, Nebraska as head coach and teacher.
They have purchased their home there. Deb
works in the Home Agency office.

Beverly graduated from Kearney State
College and married in August of 1979 to
Kenneth Sestak of Arcadia whom also gradu-
ated from KSC. They reside in Hemingford,
Nebraska, where he is associated with the
Bank of Hemingford. Beverly runs a family
day care in her home. Ryan Daniel was born
on 1982, and Erin Michelle was born
on 1984.

Bill attended KSC for 1 1/2 years following
graduation from High School but returned to
the ranch and formed a partnership with his
Dad, the W.D. Phipps Ranch. He married
Robin Rusk from Kansas in August of 1980
and made their home on the ranch for six
years. Wrex William was born 1982
and Wravenna Nadyne arrived on
1984.

Due to economy, Bill decided to return
back to KSC and finish his education. His
family moved in late December and Waco
Alexander was born on 1987.

The W.D. Phipps Ranch, where the flag
always waves, hosted the Nebraska Herford
Tour in 1984 and served 260 persons for
breakfast along with the Cox Hereford
Ranch. In 1985, they deleted their entire herd
of registered Hereford cattle in an auction at
the ranch. The following year, Alice was
elected the Nebraska Hereford Auxiliary
president.

Doug and Alice sold their ranch in the
spring of 1987 to Jim and Laverna Coble and
held a ranch auction out there. They did
extensive traveling that summer to pursue
other interests.