Karen Cullinan Phillips

Karen Cullinan Phillips died Oct. 19, 2024. She was 90.

Phillips was born in Washington on Oct. 18, 1934, to John Thomas Cullinan and Virginia Ystad Wheatley of Oregon. She grew up and attended boarding school at St. Joseph’s Orphanage in Spokane, Washington., until she decided to make the journey to Livermore. She graduated from Livermore High School in 1952, and later went on to work at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

She was proceeded in death by her parents and her husband, Hiram. She is survived by her sister, Hap Cullinan; five children: Steven Bretz, Donivan Bretz-Seymour, Norman (Robyn) Phillips, Stephanie (Tim) Harrah and Janie Phillips; 11 grandchildren: Brian (Siobhan) Bretz, Tim Bretz, Tiffany (Derek) Radau, Jeromy Moreno, Chris (Kirwin) Frost, Bronté (David) Martinez, Elizabeth (Charlie) Gazarek, Shawn (Diana) Harrah, Suzanne (Mike) Marczak, Melissa Corum, Royce (April) Corum, and 27 great-grandchildren: Fiona, Finnegan, Joshua, Justine, Jeana, Jacob, Elliot, Blaze, Joshua, Logan, Brady, Jaimie, Kaden, Tyler, James, Liam, Xander, Zoey, Jovie, Chloe, Sofi, Savon, Zion, Shaykyra, Tyler, Carly, and Jackson and great-great grandson, Bodie.

To commemorate her life, a memorial service will be held in her honor at the Tracy Elks Lodge on Saturday, Nov. 23, at 1 p.m. An online guestbook is available for condolences.