Evelyn Phillips (Bolivar)'s Obituary
Mrs. Evelyn Leone Phillips, age 99 of Bolivar, MO passed away at 5:00 AM Saturday, August 21, 2014 at the Citizens Memorial Healthcare Facility in Bolivar after a brief illness.
Evelyn was born June 16, 1915 to John and Jessie Gower Miller in Brazil, Iowa. Her parents raised her with her orphaned aunt, Blanche, who was five years older than Evelyn.
She remembered having a wonderful childhood with her parents. She graduated from high school in Centerville, Iowa. Evelyn worked as a nanny in Chicago before she married James Robert Phillips on August 23, 1937. Jim preceded her in death on October 16, 1998. Their only child, John Randolph Phillips, was born in 1941.
Jim joined the Navy in 1932. After Evelyn and he were married, they moved to Long Beach, California. They spent most of his 20 years in the Navy moving up and down the west coast including two tours of duty in Hawaii. Evelyn worked at numerous jobs: laundry, Granny Goose potato chip factory, packed unknown supplies for World War II, fixed typewriters, and retired from Teters Floral Products in 1980. After retiring from the Navy, they bought a farm at Brighton, MO and then a farm north of Bolivar. They sold the farm and moved to Lakewood Hills in Bolivar after Jim had a heart attack.
Evelyn loved to work in the yard and garden, and grow beautiful flowers and vegetables. She drove until she was 91 and continued to mow her own lawn until she was 95. Evelyn always said she was taking care of the land for God. She loved to cross stitch and was a frequent visitor to the Polk County library. She would research whatever topic was necessary for a healthy life. She read all the classics and loved to read Shakespeare for enjoyment. Her favorite book was the Bible and she got down on her knees to pray up until the last few weeks of her life.
She always believed in giving others honest compliments. She loved seeing the Janzekovich children and grandchildren after school and always knew exactly what snacks each child liked. She would spend time talking to them about school and share stories and advice as needed. She spoke to kindergarten classes about what it was like growing up in her era and answer questions. Evelyn always wrote a weekly letter to her son in Pennsylvania until she had difficulty seeing. She was always a part of family celebrations with the Janzekovich family and was able to live at home with their help until June 2014. She was always thankful to the good Lord for all of her blessings. As friends have stated, Evelyn was truly one of the world’s great individuals in God’s eyes. It was a privilege to have spent time with her and listen to her wisdom and caring heart.
She is survived by her son John and his wife Mary of White, PA, her grandson and wife Tim and Tammy Phillips of Normalville, PA, and her great-granddaughter Felicia Phillips of Normalville, PA. She is also survived by her dear friends George and Barbara Janzekovich of Bolivar, MO and their extended family Erin Mashburn and children Courtney, Grace, and Mark; Blake and Bracy Bays and children Brooke, A.J., Christian, Landon, and Andrew Bays, Robyn Wittke, and Brett and Stephanie Aug.
A visitation will be on Saturday, August 23, 2014 at 9:00 AM till service time.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Sacred Heart Catholic Church Building Fund.
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