FAMILY HERITAGE
Phillips Family Mausoleum Woolaroc Tomb Provides Final Resting Spot by Sarah Leslie Gagan
“…From dust you have come, and to dust you shall return.” Genesis 3:19
sandstone bridge. It was obvious that the mausoleum construction was his solitary fixation as he grieved the absence of Jane.
Death is an uncompromising reality for the living. It will smite each one of us. Our lives will all end the same way, this side of eternity, as we leave our earthly bodies behind and enter eternal life. The details of how we lived, and how we died, will remain behind, etching our legacy into the hearts and minds of those who loved us.
Frank wanted the tomb to be constructed of uncut native Woolaroc sandstone, to blend in with the natural surroundings. The location was within walking distance of the lodge and museum yet placed just out of the public eye. The workers used dynamite to blast the rocky hillside open to form the roughly 24 foot by 24 foot burial chamber. While it was designed to accommodate 12 burial spaces, only three were ever used. Jane, Frank, and their son John are the sole occupants of the mausoleum.
Care is taken with earthly remains, to respect and celebrate the life that once breathed inside. For some, it is a ritual, others, a tradition. And even still, some create a final resting place that will last throughout time to memorialize the ones we loved and provide peace and rest for their souls. This was the heart of Frank Phillips, as he designed the Phillips Family Mausoleum following the death of his wife Jane. Sometime before Jane fell ill, Frank had shared with her his chosen location for their final resting place. It was the south facing slope of the rocky hillside overlooking Elk Lake at Woolaroc, their country home in the Osage. While his mind was made up regarding the burial site location, he had no way of knowing the timing of its need. When Jane passed away in 1948, Frank became driven, focusing on designing and building the family mausoleum so he could properly lay Jane to rest, who was temporarily interred in the White Rose Mausoleum. He visited Will Rogers’ mausoleum many times in Claremore to gain ideas and became inspired by its design. He knew he wanted something less obtrusive while maintaining permanence of the structure. Construction began within months, and Frank came out to the site daily to watch the progress. Many days he quietly observed as he sat in his limousine parked at the bend of the Elk Lake 68
bmonthly | OCTOBER 2020
The walls are constructed of 18-inch concrete with an additional waterproof barrier added. It is complete with heat and air conditioning as well as a telephone at Frank’s request. No one really knows why he wanted the phone installed, but speculate it
