Collin Co., TX - Obits: Billy Oris Philips ***************************************************** This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb by: Karen Beda USGenWeb Archives. Copyright. All rights reserved http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ***************************************************** Billy Oris Philips Title of Article: Billy Oris Philips Lost Life Sunday in Tank Near Alla – Bill Oris Philips, only child of Mr. and Mrs. Oris Lee Philips, who live in the home with Mae Philips 6 miles northeast of Celina, was drowned Sunday at about 11 o’clock a.m. in an earthen tank on the farm formerly known as the Tom Fair place. A group of people of the community was swimming in the G. V. Bray tank about 6 miles nearly east of Celina, among them the parents of the boy who was drowned and Bill Ray Cates, son of Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Cates. Bill Oris Philips and Billy Ray Cates left the Bray tank and went to one a few miles away on what was known as the Tom Fair place. Cates got into water over his head and Philips, according to the Cates boy, came to Cates’ assistance and succeeded in getting him to safety, but Philips himself slipped back into deep water, and exhausted as he was, could not save himself. When the alarm was sounded people flocked in to add their mite to save the son of their neighbors. A group of men took turn about applying artificial respiration for two hours or more and an inhalator was brought down from Sherman, but there was no spark of life from the boy…. (July 4, 1946)