Page 116 - Senior Link Magazine Fall 2018- Online Magazine

Phil was on the Board of “My friend, Phil Price was completion. The dedication
Directors for the Lubbock instrumental in getting the attention of and service of a man who
Area Veterans War the VA with the brochure he published gave the ultimate sacrifice
Memorial which honors highlighting the needs of veterans in is commemorated by the
all American veterans. our area. We could not have secured beautiful bronze sculpture
Bricks with the names the super clinic without him. He is not pointing toward the area of
of those who served are only a war hero; he is my hero.” the disaster.
placed on the memorial as
they are purchased. The ~ Lt. General Dr. Bernhard T. Mittemeyer Another crowning
memorial, located at 82nd achievement for Lubbock is
and Nashville Avenue is a the Silent Wings Museum,
quiet setting for reflection, located in the former
funerals, study groups, Lubbock Air Terminal. The
field trips, Memorial Day events, and for families terminal was scheduled for demolition and had
and friends to pay respect to loved ones. already had the asbestos abatement completed.
Phil was instrumental in having the museum
The Willie McCool statue, near the Veterans’ relocated to Lubbock. The first-class facility is a
Memorial, is a tribute to the naval officer, NASA repository of exhibits, memorabilia and planes,
astronaut and Coronado High School graduate and is dedicated to the WWII pilots who were
who lost his life on the Space Shuttle Columbia. trained to fly gliders here in Lubbock. They
Phil served on the steering committee for its are true heroes because of the high risk of their

Phil married his Amarillo High
School sweetheart Vicky Veazey
on Sept. 9, 1966. Even casual
observers can recognize unusually
deep devotion and affection in
the 52-year marriage. One story
that illustrates Vicky’s creative
love for Phil happened 50 years
ago. He was serving in the jungle
of Vietnam when an 18# package
arrived with the words “Vietnam
or Bust” scrawled on the side. Phil’s young wife had remembered his “inordinate”
fondness for watermelon, so she’d picked out a good one, wrapped it well, and
trusted Uncle Sam to get it to her husband. It arrived intact six days later and was
immediately devoured by the grateful soldier and his platoon.

116 Lubbock Senior Link