By GvilleTX Newsroom
A report that the Disabled American Veterans marked Independence Day by presenting a plaque at Crazy Horse Saloon and Dance Hall in memory of Bridgett Phillips could not be confirmed in any primary record reviewed by GvilleTX Newsroom. The account holds that the plaque recognized a fundraiser held in her name. The records that could be located tie the DAV chapter and the venue to Wichita Falls rather than Gainesville or Cooke County, and a funeral-home record says Phillips died in Wichita Falls.
The DAV chapter tied to the report is Wichita Falls Chapter 41. The chapter's official online calendar shows one entry for July 4, 2026: its monthly meeting at 10 a.m. No plaque ceremony or event at Crazy Horse appears on the calendar for that date. The chapter's current officer record lists Joel Jimenez as commander.
Crazy Horse Saloon & Dance Hall's own website identifies the business as a live-music venue at 1403 N. Scott Ave. in Wichita Falls. Nothing on the site mentions a plaque from the veterans organization or a benefit connected to Phillips.
The primary record also spells the honoree's name differently than the report does. An obituary published by Falls Funeral Home identifies her as Bridget Elaine Phillips, with a single "t" in the first name. According to the funeral home, she was born Nov. 8, 1972, and died Nov. 8, 2025, in Wichita Falls. The obituary describes her as someone known for putting together benefits and charity rides. That history is consistent with the outline of the report, but no document reviewed for this story names a specific fundraiser or a plaque recognizing one.
The geography is relevant for Cooke County readers. Chapter 41's calendar and officer listings are Wichita Falls records, and Wichita Falls sits in Wichita County. Veterans outreach in the region is organized chapter by chapter rather than through one area-wide program. In Decatur, for example, Chapter 70 runs its own work for Wise County veterans and their families, including an annual membership drive and picnic, according to the DAV Department of Texas. No record reviewed for this story connects the reported presentation to a Gainesville or Cooke County program.
The absence of an online record does not establish that no ceremony occurred. Small presentations at private venues do not always reach a chapter calendar or a business website. As of publication, though, none of the primary sources reviewed by the newsroom documents a plaque honoring Phillips at Crazy Horse on July 4. This story will be updated if the chapter or the venue provides documentation of the presentation.
Join the conversation
Comments