Brenda Joyce Phillips' Obituary
Brenda Joyce Phillips, 69, daughter of the late Cecil Isaac and Gay Louella Hart, was born on March 26th, 1946 in St. Louis, MO, gained her wings on June 18th, 2015. She was preceeded in death by her parents and older sister Sandra Jewell. She is survived by her husband of 47 years, Larry (Phil) Phillips; 3 daughters – Dawn and husband Vince Arbetello of Tarpon Springs, FL., Andrea and husband Travis Peery of Lexington, OK, Louella (Lulu) Price of Broken Arrow, OK; 3 granddaughters – Baylee and Morgann Price, and Tia Peery; and sister Debra and Husband Erroll Perdue of Denton, TX. She is also survived by nephews Shadd and Shane Ross and nieces Shannon Castillo and Teresa Jewell. She also leaves behind Aunts, Uncles, and many cherished friends. Brenda graduated from Ruskin High School in 1964 and went on to attend college in Springfield, MO for nurses training. She met Larry in 1966 while he was attending the University of Missouri at Rolla and they were married in Columbia, MO September 23, 1967. Brenda’s first job was at the Cebral Palsy Center in Kansas City, MO. When Larry returned home from the service, Brenda decided to start a child care service in their home in Kansas City along with rearing her own three daughters. The family moved to Tulsa in 1973 so Larry could attend Spartan School of Aeronautics and go to work for Brenda’s dad’s company while going to school. Brenda, of course, continued the home child care. In 1975, the family moved into their custom built home in Broken Arrow, OK where Larry still resides today. And, yes, the home child care followed to the new home as well. Brenda retired from home child care in 2006, but, not being able to stay away from taking care of children, took the job of teacher’s assistant of the autistic class at Arrowhead Elementary in Broken Arrow for five years. As the pattern suggests, Brenda absolutely loved any and all Children. Having had home child care for 38 years, she ended up caring for some of the children of the children she earlier cared for along with two of her granddaughters. Brenda was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in March of 2009 but continued at Arrowhead Elementary until 2011. As can be seen, Brenda touched the lives of many children and parents over many years, always caring and always giving. The world was a better place with her in it, and will be a lesser place without her. If you would like to donate in lieu of flowers to the Alzheimer’s organization in my moms Brenda’s name at http://www.actionalz.org/donate.asp or to the autistic foundation.
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