Losing someone in a tight-knit community like the Uintah Basin feels a bit different than it does in a big city. In Vernal, names carry weight, and history matters. When people search for phillips family mortuaries vernal obituaries, they aren’t just looking for a list of dates. They’re looking for a neighbor, a former teacher, or a friend’s grandfather.
If you’re hunting for a specific notice, you might have noticed some confusion. There isn’t a standalone building with a big sign that says "Phillips Family Mortuary" in the middle of town. Instead, the Phillips family—specifically Jake and Whitney Phillips—owns and operates Ashley Valley Funeral Home. This is the hub for their local services.
Searching for a loved one's details can be frustrating when you're already stressed. Honestly, it’s one of those things you never want to do until you have to. Knowing exactly where to look saves a lot of late-night scrolling.
How to Find Recent Phillips Family Mortuaries Vernal Obituaries
The primary place these listings live is the official website for Ashley Valley Funeral Home. Jake Phillips is a licensed funeral director and a lifelong resident of the basin, and his family has been the face of this service since about 2012.
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Because the "Phillips" name is so synonymous with care in Vernal, people often use that name interchangeably with the business name. If you go to the "Most Recent Obituaries" section of the Ashley Valley site, you'll find the latest postings.
The listings aren't just dry text.
They usually include:
- Full service details (LDS chapels, local churches, or graveside).
- Links to live streams for those who can’t travel to Vernal.
- A "Tribute Wall" where you can post memories or photos.
- Option to send flowers directly to the service at the 410 North 800 West location.
You’ll see names from all over the area—Jensen, Maeser, Roosevelt, and even over the line into Rangely, Colorado. The Phillips family handles a huge portion of the Basin's needs.
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Why the Phillips Family Name is Trusted in the Uintah Basin
It’s not just about business. It's personal. Jake and Whitney Phillips have a story that resonates with a lot of people here. They’ve experienced profound loss themselves, including a set of quadruplets who passed away shortly after birth.
When you walk into their mortuary, you aren't talking to a corporate suit. You're talking to people who understand the "raw" feeling of grief. That's probably why so many families in Vernal choose them. They don't just "handle" a body; they "companion" the survivors.
Kathy Torres, a pre-planning consultant on their team, is another local face people recognize. Her background in helping survivors of complicated loss—like suicide or the loss of a child—adds a layer of specialized empathy that you don't find everywhere.
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Service Options and Local Cemeteries
When you see an obituary through the Phillips family services, the interments usually happen in a few specific spots.
- Maeser Fairview Cemetery: A very common resting place for families in the Maeser area.
- Vernal Memorial Park: Located right in town, this is where many of the large, traditional services conclude.
- Rockpoint Cemetery: Another local option frequently mentioned in their listings.
They also offer things that are becoming more common in Utah, like green burials or low-cost cremation. But in Vernal, the "traditional" funeral—the viewing, the chapel service, the long procession to the cemetery—is still very much the standard.
What if the obituary isn't there?
Sometimes, a family might use Blackburn Vernal Mortuary instead. It’s the other major player in town. If you don't find the name you’re looking for under the Phillips family listings at Ashley Valley, check Blackburn. In a small town, obituary information usually spreads through the Vernal Express or Facebook, but the funeral home's website is always the "source of truth" for the official time and place.
Actionable Steps for Finding Information
If you are looking for a specific person right now, don't waste time on third-party "obituary scraper" sites. They are often full of ads and outdated info.
- Go directly to the source: Visit the Ashley Valley Funeral Home website and use their search bar.
- Check the Archive: If the passing happened more than a year ago, look for the "Archive" tab rather than the "Recent" list.
- Call for service times: If a notice hasn't been posted yet, you can call them at (435) 789-2834. They are usually very quick to provide basic service times over the phone.
- Sign up for alerts: Most of these local funeral home sites let you subscribe to email notifications so you’re notified the moment a new obituary is posted in the Vernal area.
The Phillips family has built their reputation on being "one of us" in the Basin. Whether you call it Phillips Family Mortuaries or Ashley Valley, the focus remains on getting those final details right for the families left behind.