Mary Margaret Lewis Phillips' Obituary
Mary Margaret Lewis Phillips
September 13, 1933-November 14, 2021
Mary Margaret Lewis Phillips was Born on September 13, 1933, in Bainbridge, Decatur, Georgia to William Edward Lewis and Marguerite Olive McNamara.
Mary loved everything about growing up in the “deep” south. She grew up in a small home, on a dirt street, without foilage except for the large shade trees that cooled them in the summer heat. She loved Sunday afternoons when the extended family would gather for supper at Papa Lewis’s house. Most Sundays after dinner they would travel to the cemetery and pay their respects, then return to Papa Lewis’s house to sit on the large front porch and share family stories. She loved her 2 brothers. Her older brother Bill was her lifelong protector and drove her wherever she wanted to go, and her younger brother John (Bud) was her constant companion (even on dates) and friend.
After high school graduation, at age 16, she left for business school. She returned home a year later and met the love of her life, Robert William Phillips, at the Moody Air Force Base during a weekend dance. They danced their first night where he saw the most beautiful southern belle in the room, perfect hair, lipstick, sparkling blue eyes, and a fantastic smile. He proposed the next weekend, and they married the following weekend before he deployed overseas to serve in the Korean war. The three-week courtship lasted more than 50 years. While he was in the Air Force, Mary became her father-in-law’s secretary in San Francisco. Her new Father-in-law loved her drawl so much, he feigned phone calls to hear her voice over the intercom…She quickly dropped her accent. After Bob returned from the war, they stayed in San Francisco and she loved living in the city. During this early part of their lives, she recalled fond memories like digging for change in the back seat of their car so they could go to the movies on a date night. The movies remained one of her favorite pastimes throughout her life.
She and Bob later adopted two children in 1959 and 1960. Rob Will Phillips and Babbi Lyn Phillips (Hill). From 1961 to 1966 they lived in Portland, Oregon. They met many wonderful friends while in Portland and she learned to water ski, golf, developed an even greater love for shopping, and joined a bridge club. This love of shopping lasted throughout her life. She had the perfect pair of shoes for every outfit, and was known to literally buy a pair she liked in every color. Every closet in the house was filled with shoeboxes because of course, when she was tired of shopping, she could sit down and try on shoes. Later, they moved back to Oakland, and then Milpitas California, where Mary returned to school in 1969 to become a Medical Assistant. In California, Mary worked for two cardiologists where she was loved and greatly appreciated.
It was in Oregon that she and Bob became acquainted with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Days Saints through great friends. It was in Milpitas that after some consideration, they joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in 1974 and were later sealed in the Oakland Temple with their children in 1976.
In 1980 they moved to Laramie, Wyoming for Bob’s career at the University of Wyoming. They lived there for 14 years. They were looking for a change of pace, and certainly found the slower pace they had wanted in Laramie. Mary worked for an ophthalmologist while there and made many lifelong friends with whom they traveled throughout the remainder of their lives.
In her retirement, they built a home in St George, Utah. They enjoyed the many family and friends who came to visit during this time. They continued learning by taking college courses and served a mission at the LDS Employment Services. They loved to travel and were always planning their next trip. Their favorites were learning about the surrounding areas and riverboat cruises in the US and Europe. They also bought a large RV trailer and got into 4x4 trails in their Jeep, even joining a 4x4 club. In all that she learned and enjoyed, she never was too enthralled with cooking, and her idea of the perfect recipe was a good Menu in hand. She was diagnosed with Parkinson’s and lived with the disease for 28 years. She lived well and died well, happy to soon be reunited with her best friend and companion, Bob.
During the end of their careers and into their retirement years, they watched over their mothers. They cared for Mary’s mother for 17 years and Bob’s mother for the last 4 years of her life. Mary’s mother remarried at age 88, so they often had the three, in their 90’s, for dinner.
Mary is survived by her daughter Babbi Hill of Salt Lake City, sisters-in-law Lea Lewis (Denmark), Eileen Lewis ( Maryland), and Sally Altman (Granite Bay, California), and many nieces and nephews, 11 beautiful grandchildren, and 19 great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her husband Robert William Phillips (2006), her son Rob Will Phillips (2014), her two siblings, William Edward Lewis Jr, (2018) and John Lewis (2021).
Mary resided at Spring Gardens in Holladay in the memory care unit for the last 4 years of her life. The family would like to thank the many devoted caregivers at Spring Gardens, Bristol Hospice, and her private caregivers and neighbors before that. Some of those who tenderly cared for her over the years: Private caregivers- Daircy and Rosemary. Spring Gardens - Casey, Kim, Christian, Michael, Jade, Valerie, Lucy, Isabell, Teresa, Ely, Fernanda, Abbie, Becca, Stephanie, Eliza, Jenna, Jamie, Sydney, Maddy, Haley, Bethany, Ashleyn, Kiley, Bethany. Bristol Hospice caregivers: Valerie, Allen, Caitlin, Maddie, Millie, Heather, Megan, and Angie, and many neighbors and friends. She was well cared for and loved in the last years of her life.
Funeral services will be held11:00 am, Saturday, December 4, 2021 in the Relief Society Room at the East Millcreek Stake Center, 3103 East Craig Drive, Salt Lake City, UT with a viewing prior to services at 10:00 am to 10:45 am. Masks required. The interment will be 12:00 Noon, December 6th, 2021 at the Tonaquint Cemetery in St George, UT.
To join the services with Zoom - Go to the following Zoom link
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81105326309
Meeting ID: 811 0532 6309
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