Delena (Del) Lupo Phillips, age 95, passed away peacefully August 23, 2022 at the Heirloom Inn from complications of COVID.
She was born September 14, 1926 in Hiawatha, Utah to Frank and Teresa Nicolavo Lupo. Del attended school at Notre Dame and Carbon High School in Price. She was a candy striper at the Price Hospital when she thought a career in nursing was the route to take. That was short lived when she passed out cold one evening while watching baby deliveries. At that point she headed to Mountain Bell and worked as a telephone operator, and thus, began a career in telecommunication. Her working days included The Boeing Company, Seattle National Bank, Kenworth and PacCar. She retired from PacCar with 20 years of service.
Del married Bob Phillips on her 20th birthday and resided in Price for four years. She had never been out of the state of Utah and talked Bob into moving. They lived in Boulder City, Nevada for two and a half years then returned to Price prior to their permanent move to Washington state. They made their home in Renton where they raised two daughters, Joni and Robbie. Del lived in her Windsor Hills home in Renton for 63 years prior to moving to Manson, Washington, to be near Joni. During this time, she kept in touch via the phone with her many local and out-of-state friends and relatives, often entertaining them with her witty jokes. Everyone she met loved her dearly. A gentleman friend of Joni and Dan once made the comment, “Dan actually loves his mother-in-law.” That spoke volumes!
As the middle child she must have suffered the “middle child syndrome,” as she put her family through the paces. She entertained us over the years with her stories of those days; and just when you thought you heard them all, she would remember another one. She was a great dancer, and even led the conga line at her granddaughter’s wedding (after two recent knee replacements).
Del had a weakness for shoes, and was a very classy dresser. In her high school years she designed and sewed her own clothes, and later on used this talent on doll clothes. Del was quite the crafter. She made afghans for all the family, knitted slippers for everyone and will always be remembered for her “scrubbies.”
Delena is survived by her daughter Joni; sister, Phyllis Baker; grandchildren, Michael, Jeff, Patrick and Molly; five great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Frank Lupo and Teresa (Lupo) Spadafora; ex-husband Bob Phillips; sister, Grace Etzel; and her daughter, Robbie Garner.
Funeral Mass, Tuesday, August 30, 2022, 10:00 a.m., at the Notre Dame Hope Center (190 North Carbon Ave.) in Price, Utah where the family will receive friends at the Hope Center Tuesday one hour prior to Mass. Committal service, Price City Cemetery. Arrangements entrusted to Mitchell Funeral Home of Price and Huntington where friends are always welcome daily and may share memories online at www.mitchellfuneralhome.net.