Helen M Phipps

On December 15th, 1945 Helen Boackle Phipps was born to Sam and Lily Boackle. The daughter of a prominent businessman from Bessemer, Alabama, she was the seventh of eight children - Charles, Niame, Sadie, Carreme, Regina, Agnes, and her younger brother Joseph.

After graduating from Birmingham Southern College with a degree in education, she began a career as a teacher and on July 27th, 1975, she married the love of her life, George Anthony Phipps of Michigan City, Indiana. They would have three sons. Michael, Joseph, and Paul.

Over her 31 years of teaching, she impacted the lives of countless students in both Indiana and Alabama. Some of her early accomplishments included the development of reading programs for children from difficult socioeconomic backgrounds; and a special education program for children with behavioral and development disabilities that prevented them from attending a traditional public school. She loved her students and especially loved teaching science.

After a lifetime of difficult health issues, Helen passed away peacefully on June 15th, 2024. She is survived by her three sons, two daughters-in-law (Julie Hartley & Lisa Eckman), two grandchildren (Jacob and Jessa Phipps), and 24 nieces and nephews.

The family will receive friends on Thursday, June 20, 2024 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM with a funeral mass to follow at St. Elias Maronite Catholic Church. Burial will conclude at Southern Heritage Cemetery at 1:30 PM.