Philip W. Lees, age 84, passed away on Sunday, March 29, 2026 at his home in Clinton, Missouri. A Celebration of Life will be held at 3:00 PM on Wednesday, April 8, 2026 at the Golden Valley Christian Church in Clinton. Visitation will be from 2:00-3:00PM prior to the service.

Philip W. Lees was born to Letha Mae Lees and Claude Duval Craig on July 16th,1941 in Sedalia, Missouri. Philip grew up in Sedalia on the same block as his future wife Karen Sue Sparks. He attended Smith-Cotton High School and joined the United States Navy after high school. Philip completed bootcamp and was medically discharged due to a heart condition but is recognized as a veteran of the United States armed forces.

Philip had known his wife Karen when they were both young and he would talk about how he used to pull her braided hair (pig tails) and tease her. Philip and Karen dated after high school and were married on February 22nd, 1964. They enjoyed 62 years of a loving, caring relationship before his passing. Karen Sue Lees was the love of Philip's life. Philip and Karen were an inseparable pair that had become one.

Philip Lees radiated the love of God in everything that he did and wanted to share God's love and salvation with everyone that he met. Philip served the Lord with all his heart and soul. He wanted everyone to know who his Lord and savior was so that they could experience the joy that he had in his heart and have the peace that comes from knowing that you could have eternal life with God in Heaven.

Philip made friends of everyone that he met and knew no one as a stranger. When you met Philip, you immediately knew how much he cared because he would embrace you in a hug and welcome you to wherever he was. Philip had so many friends and loved ones that they are too numerous to count. Philip was loving, kind, forgiving and generous sometimes to his own detriment, but that did not detour him from giving to those who were less fortunate than him. Philip would give you the shirt on his back.

Philip also loved baseball and softball. He would take his friends and family to in-person games and would watch games on television. He was always up to date on his favorite team, the Kansas City Royals and would inform his family and friends of all the latest stats. He loved taking his kids and grandchildren to the Royals games and they have many fond memories of those special times together.

Philip was preceded in death by his mother and father, all 9 of his siblings and his grandson Dawson Hawthorne. Philip leaves behind his wife Karen Lees, his daughter Kristene Moore, his son Matthew Lees, four grandchildren; Curtis Calkins, Tyler Calkins, Savanna Abron, and Spencer Hawthorne and 13 great-grandchildren.

Philip wanted a life that would promise and hope in the world. His legacy will forever be felt in the memories, hearts and minds of those that had the privilege of knowing him.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Vansant-Mills Funeral Home in Clinton, Missouri.