Lois Jean Philippone

Lois Jean Philippone, a devoted music lover, whose band stopped playing and the dance of life ended at age 89, died on the evening of June 5, with her husband, devoted caretakers, and her Pastor Sharon Youngs of the First Presbyterian Church at her bedside. This was after a long and wonderful life as a teacher, musician, and patron of the arts, world traveler, devoted mother and wife, as well as my best friend for over 64 years.

Lois was born in Casper, Wyo., on March 4, 1924, the daughter of Clayton K. and Jean Reed.

Lois grew up in Wyoming while her parents operated the Oil City Printers in Casper and spent her summers homesteading property around a sheep camp in the Big Horn Mountains in Wyoming. Lois and her mother would run the sheep camp through the week while her father, older sister, and brother would visit on weekends. This developed Lois’ adventurous spirit, as they ran sheep and rode horses through the week while living with other sheep herders and rugged outdoorsmen. I used to warn our friends not to mess with Lois because you have to be tough to survive the harsh winters in Wyoming, and Lois was one tough lady.

Lois attended the Natrona County Schools in Casper and graduated with honors. She then continued her adventurous streak and went on to be the first member of her family to graduate from college. She attended and graduated from Colorado State Teachers College (now the University of Northern Colorado) with a bachelor of arts in education and a minor in music.

After college graduation, Lois became a teacher, instructing students on commercial subjects at Brighton, Colorado High School, a small town north of Denver. She then moved to Denver, attended a business school and got a job with a large law firm in Denver. She joined the YWCA and was a member of Business Women Group, which would have a weekly dinner, seminar, and dance. This is where I met her after I cut in during a dance. This was our first of many dances and still makes me smile today. We were married in Denver in 1949 and began the first of 64 years together. We moved several times early in our life together as my job in metallurgical engineering took us from Denver to Salt Lake City to Grand Junction and then finally in 1962 to Oak Ridge, where our family made its roots.

Lois continued to express her passion for music as a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Chancel Choir for 47 years. She was also a pianist for church performances as well as for other groups around the Oak Ridge area. In addition to her personal performances, one of our greatest pleasures together was to attend and support the local chorus, symphony, opera, and theater organizations.

Lois was a natural leader and, in most of the organizations she joined, she wound up the president or would be elected to some other high office in the group. This ranged from being president of the Church Women United for a term as well as their treasurer for over 20 years to her roles at the Oak Ridge Civic Music Association (ORCMA) and the American Association of University Women (AAUW). She was also president of two ballroom dance clubs and the South Hills Ladies Golf league.

Lois continued to fulfill her interest in education by teaching remedial reading at Oliver Springs High School, assisting at the Scarboro Community Center, reading to the kindergarten children at Woodland School, and making presentations to the AAUW.

Lois and I brought four wonderful children into the world and as you would expect, this kept her very busy, but after the children were grown, her adventurous spirit kicked in again and she began to travel around the world with me. This included several trips to Japan, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Belgium, and Russia. In addition to that travel, we often tacked on vacations to nearby countries, including Switzerland, Italy, Austria, and China. If I was pulled away to work, Lois would explore on her own or with another U.S. or U.K wife, including exciting adventures on the London, Paris, Tokyo, and St. Petersburg, Russia, subways and transit systems.

Over the years, our mutual interests in music, ballroom dancing, theater, education, travel, and certain sports kept us as the best of friends, and she will be sorely missed as my companion in life. She was generous in everything she did, and that flowed to her friends, church, education, and the arts in Oak Ridge and Knoxville.

She is survived by myself, Richard L. Philippone, and three children, Robert Philippone and his wife Lingli, of Peoria, Ariz., Susan Frederick and husband Gary, of Spring, Texas, and Mary Mirsky of Monch’s Corner, S.C.; her grandchildren, Douglas Philippone and his special friend Jessica Lynch, of Washington, D.C., Emily Philippone of Jeju Si, South Korea, Caroline Philippone and their mother Rachel Philippone of Florissant, Mo., Alex Williams of Monch’s Corner, S.C., Elizabeth Frederick of Spring, Texas, and David Shi of Cambridge, Mass.

Lois was preceded in death by her parents; her son, Donald; sister, Alice Chrisman; and brother, Leigh Reed.

Because of her love of music, the family request memorials be directed to the following music organizations of your choice, the Oak Ridge Civic Music Association, the Knoxville Symphony, or the Knoxville Opera.

The family will receive friends on Monday, June 10, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Weatherford Mortuary. Funeral services will be held on Tuesday at 11 a.m. at the First Presbyterian Church of Oak Ridge with Rev. Sharon Youngs officiating. The interment will follow at Oak Ridge Memorial Park.

An online guest book can be signed at www.weatherfordmortuary.com.