Elwin Win Phillips

A celebration of the life of Win Phillips, an 80-year-old Buffalo resident who passed away early Saturday morning at his home in Buffalo, will be held by his family this summer at a time to be announced. Donations in Win’s memory may be made to the Susie Bowling Lawrence Hospice at 497 West Lott Street in Buffalo. Online condolences may be made at www.harnessfuneralhome.com.

Elwin Webb Phillips was born on July 24, 1944, in Jacksonville, Florida to Elwin ‘Bill’ and Ruth ‘Mame’ Phillips. He grew up and went to school in Jacksonville and Coconut Grove, Florida. He graduated from Admiral Farragut High School in St. Petersburg, Florida, with the Class of 1962. After high school, he attended the Virginia Military Institute where he received a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, and a commission in the US Navy. After college, he was stationed in Africa. In 1969, he and his father Bill bought their beloved ranch on Tunnel Hill, which they called the Winfield Ranch. He was married in July 1976 to Pollyanna Pollick and made their home in Banner on the ranch, where they started their family of two boys, Webb and Sean. Following a divorce in 1988, he was married on December 29, 1989, in Banner to Pamela Cummings, and they made their home on the ranch. They continued to ranch and raise their family until retiring and selling the ranch in 2021, when they moved to Buffalo, and he lived there with Pam until his death. Win was a past member of the Coral Reef Yacht Club. He was also the Commodore of the Story Yachette Club, of which there will only three members. He was an accomplished sailor. In his later years, Win and Pam bought a 54-foot sailboat called “Meanwhile… Back at the Ranch”. They sailed to many places around the world having wonderful adventures along the way. Win became an EMT and was instrumental in the formation of the Story Ambulance service, and was an EMT for the Sheridan Ambulance service for a couple of years. He was a member of the National Ski Patrol at Antelope Butte, Big Sky, Montana and Meadowlark ski areas for seventeen years. He was also a member of the Sheridan Search and Rescue. He was known by family and friends for his kind heart, incredible smile, and love of explosive devices. He also liked rum, stone crab and a table full of laughter. He was a world record speed boat racer, lover of a good joke and always had something outrageous to say to get things going. Win was also an accomplished machinist and mechanic. He loved inventing things in his shop. Some people liked to call him Q after 007’s go-to guy, because he was always inventing gadgets in his shop with his good friends ‘Grich’ and Bill Oleson, also known as ‘Willy’. Flamethrowers, catapults, cannons, 800 horsepower V-8s, you name it, all came out of Win’s shop. He liked to say at some point he broke every bone in his body. He was a generous man and an inspiration to us all. He lived his life to the fullest and did not squander his time here.

Win is survived by his wife Pamela Phillips of Buffalo; one son Webb Phillips and his wife Eileen of Big Horn, Wyoming; one brother James Phillips of Story, Wyoming; one brother-in-law Dean Miller and his wife Dawn of Estacada, Oregon; one sister-in-law Gala Fort of Sheridan; and three grandchildren, Leah, Sean Patrick, and Emma Jo Phillips. He was preceded in death by his parents and two sons, Sean Phillips and Patrick Cummings, one brother Thomas Phillips and one sister Catherine Phillips.