Michael L. Phillips, 76, passed away on March 9, 2025, in Sand Springs, OK. He was born June 25, 1948, in Tulsa to Robert Lee and Lucy Lee (Ross) Phillips. He was a graduate of Nathan Hale High School class of 1966.

He attended the University of Tulsa 1966 to 1969, majoring in Philosophy. He served in the U.S. Army Security Agency as a Cryptologic Linguist from 1970 to 1973 where he attended the Defense Language Institute West Coast in Monterey, California graduating at the top of his class, and following discharge, attended Oklahoma State University where he graduated with a B.A. degree in psychology. He met the love of his life Gayla De'Ann McMillin in 1975 while attending graduate school and working at Stillwater Medical Center's Mental Health Unit and Stillwater Psychiatric Clinic. Starting in 1983, he worked for the State of Oklahoma Court Related and Community Services, first as a Social Worker I, and then at the L.E. Rader Intensive Treatment Center from 1985 to 1987 as a Psychological Assistant. He worked in Pawnee County, doing Intake, Probation and Parole from 1987 to 1995. From 1995 to 2001 he supervised Lincoln, Osage and Pawnee counties in his capacity as Assistant District Supervisor with the State of Oklahoma's Office of Juvenile Affairs. He served as District Supervisor over Tulsa and Creek counties until he retired in December 2009. Throughout his career, he also served as Co-Chair of the Oklahoma Planning and Coordinating Council for Services to Children and Youth. He was on the development committees for the Judith Karman Hospice in Stillwater, the planning committee for the Mayor's Gang Summit "Building a Safer Tulsa" in 2006, and the development committee for the Community Intervention Center in downtown Tulsa, during his career, he received three Governor's Commendations and an Award for Public Service presented by the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Following retirement from the State of Oklahoma, he began volunteering with the Tulsa Police Department where he worked in the Detective Division, Burglary Squad. He was honored as the 2012 Volunteer of the Year by the Tulsa Police Department. He also served on the Human Rights Committee for Goodwill Industries of Tulsa. In 2015, he was ordained as a Dudeist Priest in the Church of the Latter Day Dude. He was an avid reader and movie buff and especially enjoyed the First Friday Art Crawls in the Tulsa Brady District every month.

He was preceded in death by, his parents and his brother, Patrick Kyle Phillips. He is survived by his wife, Gayla McMillin, niece Brandi Phillips and grandniece Claire Walz, and grandnephew Emerson Patrick Dugan.

Michael was a longtime member of and donor to Circle Cinema, supporting Tulsa's Historic Art House Theater with his many visits to see films.  Please continue his support by making a donation to the Circle Cinema Foundation, online at www.circlecinema.org/donate or by mail:  Circle Cinema, 8 South Lewis Avenue, Tulsa, OK  74104.