MARY F. PHILLIPS
The Angelic Hosts came for Mrs. Mary F. Phillips on Sunday, Sept. 19, 2020, at her residence in Waco among loving family and devoted friends.
Viewing was to be held Friday, Sept. 25, 1-6 p.m. at Moore’s Angelic Funeral Home in Teague. Funeral services will be Saturday, Sept. 26, at 11 a.m. in the Union Memorial United Methodist Church, Coolidge, with the Rev. Sylvester Keys II officiating and the Rev. Bryan Dalco Eulogist. Interment will be in the Sandy Creek Cemetery, in Coolidge. Professional services are being provided by Moore’s Angelic Funeral Home, 406 Monroe St, Teague, Texas 75860.
Mary Frances Miller Phillips was born Oct. 4, 1921, in Staunton, Va. She was the second of four daughters born to William Whalen Miller and Sarah Elizabeth (Coles) Miller.
She was baptized at age 10 and became a member of Ebenezer Baptist Church. The pastor convinced her mother that she did not have to be twelve before joining the Church. Mary’s father passed away in 1931 and her mother in 1937. Mary was a focused student and excelled in her school years in Staunton. In 1938 she graduated as valedictorian from Booker T. Washington High School. In order to attend college she accepted a five dollar per week domestic job. This helped her raise the eighty dollars to pay her first semester’s tuition at Hampton Institute (now Hampton University).
Although Mary was not born in Texas, she often said she got here as soon as she could. She did this with the help of her beloved late husband Australia Clark Phillips, a Sandy native. They met as students at Hampton Institute, where Mary Frances received her degree in Elementary Education. The couple married on Aug. 10, 1943, in Manhattan, N.Y., while Australia was on furlough during World War II. When he received his military discharge, they moved to Warwick, N.Y., where son Wendell Ricardo Phillips was born. The family moved to Texas in late 1946.
After moving to Texas, the Phillips family lived at Woodland and Sandy. Mary enjoyed being a mother and housekeeper until moving to Corsicana in 1954. She decided to go into teaching and became a substitute teacher. She later taught first grade at Lincoln and Fannin Elementary schools. Mary joined St. Andrews M.E. Church, where she served as secretary and assistant treasurer from 1956 to 1975.
In 1975, the family moved back home to Sandy and joined Union Memorial UMC. She was active in her church and served as the Annual Conference delegate; as the financial secretary; choir secretary-treasurer; Church council chair; a member of S/PPRC committee; and Sunday school teacher for grades 1-3. Mary continued teaching public school, at the elementary level, and retired in 1988, in Mexia.
Mary was preceded in death by her husband, Australia (1981); and only child, Wendell R. Phillips (1989).
Mary Frances is survived by three grandchildren: Yvonne Basil (Gary) of Desoto, Brian Phillips of East Orange, N.J., and J. Todd Phillips of Chicago, Ill.; eight great-grandchildren; Whitney McConaga, Quentin Basil, Dante Phillips, Joshua Phillips, Jalen Phillips, Cameron Phillips, Parker Phillips and Mason Phillips; three great-great grandchildren, Zamira McConaga, Zaniah McConaga, Jordan Phillips; daughter-in-law, Karen Smith-Phillips of Hillside, N.J.; brother-in-law, Lewis Vaughn of Staunton, Va.; June Stovall-Robinson, nephews, nieces; close associates, and many other relatives and friends.
A very special thanks to Pat Gee who has been there with our grandmother helping in any way she could, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts!
