Mrs. Alice Virginia Phillips

Mrs. Alice Virginia Phillips, the daughter of the late Pastor Jack Lee and Ora Lee Anderson, was born on December 12, 1930, in Brent, Alabama. She accepted Christ as her personal savior at an early age and joined James Chapel AME Zion Church. She attended grade school in Marion, Alabama. She lived with a local family and helped around the house to earn her room and board. After graduating high school, she attended Alabama State University and received a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education. She also became a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Upon graduation, she obtained a teaching position at Reedtown High School in Russellville, Alabama. She became a boarder to Annie Lewis Phillips and Gertrude Hillman (Her future husband’s family). She taught Language arts, which included grammar, composition, spelling with the definitions, listening skills, and public speaking. In the mid-1960s, she was chosen as one of the first black teachers in integrated Russellville City Schools. In Russellville, she became a Saint Paul CME church member. She worked within the church as a stewardess, taught vacation bible school, and helped with church homecoming celebrations. Church is also where she met her future husband, Wyatt Bruce Phillips. In August of 1959, they were united in matrimony. To their union, two children were born (Wyatt Bruce II and Carla Regina). In the mid 1970’s, she began attending camp meeting services at Oakwood College with her sister Ellen. From the bible study and the spoken word, she was convinced that the seventh day Sabbath (Saturday) was the true Sabbath. She was baptized into the Seventh-day Adventist Church by Pastor Eric Calvin Ward. After her baptism, she was a deaconess at the Oakwood College Church. She also helped with women’s ministry activities. She retired in 1987 after 28+ years of service to the Russellville City School System. She thoroughly enjoyed retirement by planting flower gardens and attending activities with family and friends. One of her most memorable adventures was the tour of Europe during the 1995 General Conference in the Netherlands. In April of 2007, Alice received her favorite title, Granny. This allowed her to spoil her namesake, Alyssa, to the fullest extent. After a lengthy illness, on February 11, 2024, Sister Phillips fell asleep in death, claiming the promise in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. Alice was preceded in death by her loving and devoted husband of 43 years, Wyatt Bruce Phillips of Russellville, Alabama. Her parents, Jack Lee and Ora Lee Anderson; brothers, Willie Anderson of Birmingham, Alabama; James E. Anderson of Atlanta, Georgia; and Sister, Dr. Ellen J. Anderson of Huntsville, Alabama. She is bereaved by her son Wyatt B. Phillips II of Atlanta, Georgia. Daughter Carla Regina Crews (DeArthur, Jr.) of Millbrook, Alabama; Granddaughter Alyssa G. Crews and many other relatives and friends. Funeral services will be held on Sunday, February 25, 2024, at 2:00 p.m. at Bethany Seventh-day Adventist Church (Montgomery), 722 Cedar St, Montgomery, AL 36106 with Pastor Fred Batten, Jr. officiating. The interment will be held on Monday, February 26, 2024, at 1:00 p.m. at the Luke Town cemetery in Russellville, AL. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Bethany Christian Academy, 1765 Highland Ave., Montgomery, AL 36107 in her memory. Brookside Funeral Home, Crematorium & Memorial Gardens of Millbrook, AL directing.