Whitney & Murphy Funeral Home
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Phoenix, AZ 85018
(602) 840-5600
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CHILDRESS, OWEN “BIG O”

April 16, 2012 Leave A Condolence

In Memorial

Owen “Big O” Childress died early on Saturday, April 14th, 2012 at the Gardiner Hospice Home, surrounded by his loving family. He was born in Detroit, Michigan on August 15, 1930, to Thelma and Owen Maris Childress. His family moved to Phoenix, AZ in 1941 where he attended Phoenix Union High School, graduating in 1948. While attending Phoenix College he signed a minor league baseball contract and played for 2 years. He was employed by the Del E. Webb Construction Company in 1951 as a Mail Clerk. He had several promotions and in 1960 he was promoted to Executive Vice President of Finance and Administration for their Sun City, Arizona project, the first major retirement community in the country.
In July of 1975 he was promoted to Executive Vice President of the parent corporation, with responsibility for all financial affairs of the Corporation and its Subsidiaries. He was also Chairman of the Profit Sharing Committee and a member of the Audit and Finance Committees. Owen left the Del Webb Corporation in 1994 after 32 years of service. Not ready for retirement he became a Vice President with First American Title working with many of his fine friends. In 1983 he was appointed to the Board of Directors for the Del E. Webb Foundation serving as Vice President and Grant Administrator. He was a board member of the Del E. Webb Memorial Hospital in Sun City and a Life Member of the Phoenix Thunderbirds. Big O loved his family, friends and travel with his wife Marie, their children and grandchildren. He is pre-deceased by his parents and 2 sons, Kip and Steve. He is survived by his wife Marie, son, Paul and his daughters Emily and Kimberly Childress, of Denver, CO., daughter-in-law Eva and her children Kennedy and Martin Childress of Las Vegas, NV, daughter-in-law Meta (Gordy) Berg. Granddaughter Lisa(David) Olguin and their children, Analicia, Antonio & Alec, Grandson Matthew (Toni) Childress and their children Mazie, Mollie and Logan of Phoenix.
A Celebration of Life to be held Thursday, April 19, 2012, at 1:00pm at the Arizona Country Club, 5668 E. Orange Blossom Lane, Phoenix, AZ. The family suggests memorials to Hospice of the Valley, Gardiner Home, 1510 E. Flower St., Phoenix, AZ 85014.
Arrangements entrusted to Whitney & Murphy Funeral Home and
Post Scripts by Posey LLC

Owen “Big O” Childress died early on Saturday, April 14th, 2012 at the Gardiner Hospice Home, surrounded by his loving family. He was born in Detroit, Michigan on August 15, 1930, to Thelma and Owen Maris Childress. His family moved to Phoenix, AZ in 1941 where he attended Phoenix Union High School, graduating in 1948. While attending Phoenix College he signed a minor league baseball contract and played for 2 years. He was employed by the Del E. Webb Construction Company in 1951 as a Mail Clerk. He had several promotions and in 1960 he was promoted to Executive Vice President of Finance and Administration for their Sun City, Arizona project, the first major retirement community in the country.
In July of 1975 he was promoted to Executive Vice President of the parent corporation, with responsibility for all financial affairs of the Corporation and its Subsidiaries. He was also Chairman of the Profit Sharing Committee and a member of the Audit and Finance Committees. Owen left the Del Webb Corporation in 1994 after 32 years of service. Not ready for retirement he became a Vice President with First American Title working with many of his fine friends. In 1983 he was appointed to the Board of Directors for the Del E. Webb Foundation serving as Vice President and Grant Administrator. He was a board member of the Del E. Webb Memorial Hospital in Sun City and a Life Member of the Phoenix Thunderbirds. Big O loved his family, friends and travel with his wife Marie, their children and grandchildren. He is pre-deceased by his parents and 2 sons, Kip and Steve. He is survived by his wife Marie, son, Paul and his daughters Emily and Kimberly Childress, of Denver, CO., daughter-in-law Eva and her children Kennedy and Martin Childress of Las Vegas, NV, daughter-in-law Meta (Gordy) Berg. Granddaughter Lisa(David) Olguin and their children, Analicia, Antonio & Alec, Grandson Matthew (Toni) Childress and their children Mazie, Mollie and Logan of Phoenix.
A Celebration of Life to be held Thursday, April 19, 2012, at 1:00pm at the Arizona Country Club, 5668 E. Orange Blossom Lane, Phoenix, AZ. The family suggests memorials to Hospice of the Valley, Gardiner Home, 1510 E. Flower St., Phoenix, AZ 85014.
Arrangements entrusted to Whitney & Murphy Funeral Home and
Post Scripts by Posey LLC

Owen “Big O” Childress died early on Saturday, April 14th, 2012 at the Gardiner Hospice Home, surrounded by his loving family. He was born in Detroit, Michigan on August 15, 1930, to Thelma and Owen Maris Childress. His family moved to Phoenix, AZ in 1941 where he attended Phoenix Union High School, graduating in 1948. While attending Phoenix College he signed a minor league baseball contract and played for 2 years. He was employed by the Del E. Webb Construction Company in 1951 as a Mail Clerk. He had several promotions and in 1960 he was promoted to Executive Vice President of Finance and Administration for their Sun City, Arizona project, the first major retirement community in the country.
In July of 1975 he was promoted to Executive Vice President of the parent corporation, with responsibility for all financial affairs of the Corporation and its Subsidiaries. He was also Chairman of the Profit Sharing Committee and a member of the Audit and Finance Committees. Owen left the Del Webb Corporation in 1994 after 32 years of service. Not ready for retirement he became a Vice President with First American Title working with many of his fine friends. In 1983 he was appointed to the Board of Directors for the Del E. Webb Foundation serving as Vice President and Grant Administrator. He was a board member of the Del E. Webb Memorial Hospital in Sun City and a Life Member of the Phoenix Thunderbirds. Big O loved his family, friends and travel with his wife Marie, their children and grandchildren. He is pre-deceased by his parents and 2 sons, Kip and Steve. He is survived by his wife Marie, son, Paul and his daughters Emily and Kimberly Childress, of Denver, CO., daughter-in-law Eva and her children Kennedy and Martin Childress of Las Vegas, NV, daughter-in-law Meta (Gordy) Berg. Granddaughter Lisa(David) Olguin and their children, Analicia, Antonio & Alec, Grandson Matthew (Toni) Childress and their children Mazie, Mollie and Logan of Phoenix.
A Celebration of Life to be held Thursday, April 19, 2012, at 1:00pm at the Arizona Country Club, 5668 E. Orange Blossom Lane, Phoenix, AZ. The family suggests memorials to Hospice of the Valley, Gardiner Home, 1510 E. Flower St., Phoenix, AZ 85014.
Arrangements entrusted to Whitney & Murphy Funeral Home and
Post Scripts by Posey LLC

Owen “Big O” Childress died early on Saturday, April 14th, 2012 at the Gardiner Hospice Home, surrounded by his loving family. He was born in Detroit, Michigan on August 15, 1930, to Thelma and Owen Maris Childress. His family moved to Phoenix, AZ in 1941 where he attended Phoenix Union High School, graduating in 1948. While attending Phoenix College he signed a minor league baseball contract and played for 2 years. He was employed by the Del E. Webb Construction Company in 1951 as a Mail Clerk. He had several promotions and in 1960 he was promoted to Executive Vice President of Finance and Administration for their Sun City, Arizona project, the first major retirement community in the country.
In July of 1975 he was promoted to Executive Vice President of the parent corporation, with responsibility for all financial affairs of the Corporation and its Subsidiaries. He was also Chairman of the Profit Sharing Committee and a member of the Audit and Finance Committees. Owen left the Del Webb Corporation in 1994 after 32 years of service. Not ready for retirement he became a Vice President with First American Title working with many of his fine friends. In 1983 he was appointed to the Board of Directors for the Del E. Webb Foundation serving as Vice President and Grant Administrator. He was a board member of the Del E. Webb Memorial Hospital in Sun City and a Life Member of the Phoenix Thunderbirds. Big O loved his family, friends and travel with his wife Marie, their children and grandchildren. He is pre-deceased by his parents and 2 sons, Kip and Steve. He is survived by his wife Marie, son, Paul and his daughters Emily and Kimberly Childress, of Denver, CO., daughter-in-law Eva and her children Kennedy and Martin Childress of Las Vegas, NV, daughter-in-law Meta (Gordy) Berg. Granddaughter Lisa(David) Olguin and their children, Analicia, Antonio & Alec, Grandson Matthew (Toni) Childress and their children Mazie, Mollie and Logan of Phoenix.
A Celebration of Life to be held Thursday, April 19, 2012, at 1:00pm at the Arizona Country Club, 5668 E. Orange Blossom Lane, Phoenix, AZ. The family suggests memorials to Hospice of the Valley, Gardiner Home, 1510 E. Flower St., Phoenix, AZ 85014.
Arrangements entrusted to Whitney & Murphy Funeral Home and
Post Scripts by Posey LLC

Owen “Big O” Childress died early on Saturday, April 14th, 2012 at the Gardiner Hospice Home, surrounded by his loving family. He was born in Detroit, Michigan on August 15, 1930, to Thelma and Owen Maris Childress. His family moved to Phoenix, AZ in 1941 where he attended Phoenix Union High School, graduating in 1948. While attending Phoenix College he signed a minor league baseball contract and played for 2 years. He was employed by the Del E. Webb Construction Company in 1951 as a Mail Clerk. He had several promotions and in 1960 he was promoted to Executive Vice President of Finance and Administration for their Sun City, Arizona project, the first major retirement community in the country.
In July of 1975 he was promoted to Executive Vice President of the parent corporation, with responsibility for all financial affairs of the Corporation and its Subsidiaries. He was also Chairman of the Profit Sharing Committee and a member of the Audit and Finance Committees. Owen left the Del Webb Corporation in 1994 after 32 years of service. Not ready for retirement he became a Vice President with First American Title working with many of his fine friends. In 1983 he was appointed to the Board of Directors for the Del E. Webb Foundation serving as Vice President and Grant Administrator. He was a board member of the Del E. Webb Memorial Hospital in Sun City and a Life Member of the Phoenix Thunderbirds. Big O loved his family, friends and travel with his wife Marie, their children and grandchildren. He is pre-deceased by his parents and 2 sons, Kip and Steve. He is survived by his wife Marie, son, Paul and his daughters Emily and Kimberly Childress, of Denver, CO., daughter-in-law Eva and her children Kennedy and Martin Childress of Las Vegas, NV, daughter-in-law Meta (Gordy) Berg. Granddaughter Lisa(David) Olguin and their children, Analicia, Antonio & Alec, Grandson Matthew (Toni) Childress and their children Mazie, Mollie and Logan of Phoenix.
A Celebration of Life to be held Thursday, April 19, 2012, at 1:00pm at the Arizona Country Club, 5668 E. Orange Blossom Lane, Phoenix, AZ. The family suggests memorials to Hospice of the Valley, Gardiner Home, 1510 E. Flower St., Phoenix, AZ 85014.
Arrangements entrusted to Whitney & Murphy Funeral Home and
Post Scripts by Posey LLC

Offer Hugs From Home Condolence for the family of CHILDRESS, OWEN “BIG O”

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