Fr. Walter Phillips, 81, of Seneca, Kansas, died Saturday afternoon, May 29, 2010, at Life Care Center in Seneca.

Fr. Walter was born on May 28, 1929, at the family farm near Seneca, to Joseph H. and Clara V. (Vondemkamp) Phillips. He began his education at St. Peter & Paul School through the 9th grade, then he attended Maur Hill High School in Atchison and finished his high school diploma at the Conception Seminary in Conception, Missouri. He continued with his schooling at the Seminary for four more years studying theology.

Fr. Phillips joined the Novitiate at Conception Abbey in September 1949 and pronounced simple vows on September 1, 1950, receiving the name Lambert.

He was ordained as a priest on his 26th birthday, May 28, 1955, by the Vigil of Pentecost by Bishop John P. Cody of the Diocese of St. Joseph, Missouri. He celebrated his first Solemn High Mass the next day in his home parish of Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic Church in Seneca.

As a Benedictine Monk, he was the director of Oblates and taught college algebra at the Seminary from September 1, 1956, to January 15, 1957. He was Procurator and Treasurer of St. Pius X Monastery in Pevely, Missouri, from January 16, 1957, until Easter of 1960. He was Assistant Procurator at Conception Abbey from Easter 1960 until April 7, 1961. From April 8, 1961 to June 30, 1963 he was Chaplain at St. Joseph Catholic Hospital in Booneville, Missouri, and Catholic Chaplin at the State Training School for Boys, also in Boonville.

From July 1963 to May 1968, he was assigned as missionary to the Sioux Indians and Fund Raiser at the Catholic Indians Mission in Fort Yates, North Dakota. During this time he collected donations for the construction of a new school for St. Peter’s Indian Mission School.

Fr. Walter joined the Diocese of Grand Island, Nebraska, on June 1, 1968, and spent that summer as Chaplain at St. Mary’s Hospital in Scottsbluff, Nebraska. On August 28, 1968, he was assigned as an assistant pastor of St. Patrick Church in Sidney. On February 1, 1970, he was appointed Administrator of St. Joseph Church in Chappell and of Sacred Heart Mission in Lodgepole, Nebraska. From February 1, 1973 to June 6, 1973, he was pastor of St. Mary’s Church in Dalton, Nebraska.

On June 7, 1973, Fr. Walter was appointed Pastor of Immaculate Conception Church in Rushville, Nebraska, with St. Columbkille Church in Hay Spring, and Sacred Heart Church in Mirage Flats, as Mission churches. During this time he built the new rectory for CCD classrooms at Rushville.

On November 11, 1976, Bishop Sullivan appointed Fr. Walter as temporary pastor of St. Leo’s Church in Gordon, Nebraska, while keeping the parishes of Rushville and Hay Springs. On March 1, 1977, Fr. Walter was relieved of the pastorate of Rushville and Hay Springs and was appointed as pastor of St. Leo’s Church in Gordon. On June 1, 1979, Bishop Lawrence McNamara appointed Fr. Walter to care for St. Elizabeth’s Church at Merriman as a Mission of Gordon.

On July 1, 1982, Fr. Walter was appointed pastor of St. Ann’s Church in Lexington. On July 1, 1986, Fr. Walter became pastor of St. Bridget Church in Hemingford and Sacred Heart Church in Mirage Flats. On July 1, 1991, he was appointed Pastor of St. Elisabeth Church in Oshkosh and St Gall Church in Lisco. He retired from active pastorship on July 1, 1994.

Fr. Walter initiated a Marriage Encounter on December 8, 1974, and since then has been actively involved in this ministry, even as a retired priest. On December 30, 1980, he was appointed Defender of the Bond of the Marriage Tribunal of the Diocese and then appointed Procurator of the Tribunal on August 3, 1987, until his retirement in 1994. Since retiring he has been very busy substituting in parishes and helping to present at Marriage Encounter weekends, as well as getting in some fishing and a little golf.

In 1994 Fr. Walter moved to Ogallala, Nebraska, where he resided until September 2008. While living in Ogallala, he was a rectory resident at St. Luke’s Parish, helping with the many parish functions and offering Mass for parishioners when requested to do so. In September 2008 Fr. Phillips moved to Seneca, Kansas. He briefly moved back to Ogallala in January 2009 before returning to Seneca in December 2009, where he resided until his death.

He is survived by a brother, Lyle Phillips of Leawood, Kansas, and two sisters, Vera Knudson of Seneca and Elda Haverkamp of Wetmore, Kansas.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his brothers, Leonard, Regis, and Arthur Phillips; and his sister, Zita Bergman.

Fr. Walter said of his life, “God has been so good to me and I truly love being a priest. If I had to do it all over again I would not change a thing.”

Rosaries will be prayed at 4 & 7 PM on Monday, May 31, at Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 AM Tuesday, June 1, at Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic Church in Seneca. Burial will be in the church cemetery.

Memorials may be given in Fr. Walter’s memory to Sts. Peter & Paul Building Fund, or to Feed the Poor.