Phil was born July 19, 1935, outside of Battle Creek, Iowa. As a child, he moved with his family to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, then Portland, Oregon, then finally back to Battle Creek by age 11. He held many jobs, starting as a paperboy and worked horses in the fields. He got his cream tester and egg grader license for the state of Iowa when he was 12, and worked at the produce station. He played baseball, basketball, and was in track and field and graduated from Battle Creek High School in 1953. After graduation, he worked at an ordinance plant, helped build the Lutheran Church in town, and then joined the Army for a two-year tour where he was the platoon leader's jeep driver in Germany. After the army, he drove a gravel truck, worked road construction and went to radiator school to repair car radiators during the winter months. He married Marian Hilborn in December 1958, and had three daughters. In 1959, he went to work as a plumber, first for two separate companies, then for himself. In the early '70s, he started driving a school bus while plumbing, then was hired full time as a janitor, then later to Maintenance Supervisor over both schools and grounds. In 1977, he moved his family to New Braunfels and worked for two plumbing companies before going to work for himself as Hanks Plumbing in 1983. He retired in 1997. Phil was civic minded, and volunteered as a fireman and an EMT for the ambulance in Battle Creek. Through community classes, he learned to do chair caning and rush weaving as a pastime for about the last 40 years. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, rock hunting, needlework, puzzles, sailing and telling jokes. He loved old country music and old western movies. He has traveled throughout the 50 States and to Europe, both in the army and as a tourist.
Survivors include two daughters, Kathy {Darren} Schwarzlose of New Braunfels, TX and Phyllis {John} Edwards of Austin, TX; 5 grandchildren; 2
great-grandchildren; a brother Ken {Phyllis} Hanks of Rapid City, SD; a sister Darlene {Earl} Zoch of Arthur, IA; a brother-in-law Beryl {Donna} Hilborn of
Traverse City, MI; as well as several nieces and nephews. Phil was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 34 years Marian Hanks; his parents Jack and Gertrude Hanks; one sister Carolyn Witter; and one daughter, Joelle Hanks Garrett
A memorial service for Phillip will be held Friday, July 8, 2022 at 3:00 PM at Zoeller Funeral Home, 615 Landa St., New Braunfels, TX 78130.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.ZoellerFuneralHm.com for the Hanks family
