Earline Phillips

Earline Campbell Phillips died Sunday morning, April 22, in Mescalero. She was born May 9, 1923 in Amarillo, Texas to Orville and Nellie Evelyn Campbell. She resided in Amarillo until her early twenties, when she married dick Ross, whose parents owned the Ross Hotel, and moved to Hereford, Texas. After moving to Hereford, Dik and Earline built and operated the Jim Hill Hotel. In 1957, while flying into Ruidoso with some friends to watch one of her horses race at Ruidoso Downs, Earline and her party crashed into the surrounding mountains. After nearly three years of being hospitalized, during which time she lost both of her legs from severe burns, Earline moved to Ruidoso. She had never forgotten that during her long period of recuperaton, the race track sent her a dozen red roses every Sunday. Shortly after moving to Ruidoso, Earline became the manager of the town's largest hotel, the Chaparral Hotel and Convention Center. Earline loved her community so much that after retiring from the Chaparral, she found time to serve on nearly every civic and municipal board and commission in the town, including City Council and the Planning and Zoning Board. Her love for animals motivated her to be an instrumental force in the establishment of the Lincoln County Humane Society, where she served on its Board as chairperson for many years. Earline is survived by one sister, Orvine Ray who resides in California. She never had any children, although those who knew her during the late 1960s and 1970s remember well her dog Susu. Many a story has been told or written about Earline and Susu, which include the time that the API ran a story of Susu opening a checking account at the Ruidoso State Bank, and Susu's first birthday party that brought guests by private plane from as far away as Florida. As for Earline, it was her friends who became her clsoe family, and they will remember her courage, which allowed her to overcome adversity with grace, and her love of life. In lieu of flowers, Earline wanted donations to be sent to Community Foundation of Lincoln Countyfor the benefit of P.A.W., co Ellen Lucas, P.O. Box 1848, Alto, NM 88312. Graveside services will be Wednesday, April 25, at 11:00 AM in Forest Lawn Cemetery where friends are ask to come and share about Earline. Condolences may be sent to www.lagroneruidoso.com.

Service

Graveside Service

Forest Lawn Cemetery
Mechem Drive
Ruidoso, NM  88345
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
11:00 AM

Cemetery

Forest Lawn Cemetery
Mechem Drive
Ruidoso, NM  88345

Memorial Contributions

Community Foundaton of Lincoln Countyfor the benefit of P.A.W.
In care of Ellen Lucas
Alto, NM  88312