Margaret Laramore "Bitsy" Phillips

Bitsy attended Bruce Elementary School, McEvoy High School, and graduated from Emmanuel College (Boston, MA). She earned advanced degrees from Georgia College. After graduating from college, she worked briefly for the Macon Telegraph under the supervision of Blythe McKay. She served as Financial Aid Director at Tift College, Forsyth, GA for several years where she also earned her teaching certificate. She taught English/Language Arts for almost 30 years in Bibb County schools, beginning at Appling Jr High. She taught for many years at Southwest High school, ending her career at Central High School.

Bitsy was active in the Marine Corps League’s Auxiliary and wrote a monthly newsletter for them. She loved to read, watch old movies, listen to Bob Dylan, tend to her flower gardens, and travel with her brother, Tuffy. She spent her summers in Scotland for many years.

Bitsy loved her family dearly and she is survived by her brothers, Dean (Adelia) and David (Tuffy) Phillips; sister, Virginia Phillips (Billy Dorn); nieces and nephews, Charlotte Watson, Jeff Nesmith (Jenifer), Hope Kilgore (Greg), Michael Phillips (Donna) and Stuart Phillips. She was preceded in death by her niece, Margaret Ellen Nesmith. She is also survived by a great-nephew, Adam Phillips and two great-nieces, Noel Phillips and Regan Kilgore, as well as her life-long best friend, Ellen H. Connell (Frank) and “adopted” son, Rob Fenter and his daughter, Kikan, to whom she was known as “Granny Bit”.

In lieu of flowers the family suggests that donations be made to her favorite charities: The Elephant Sanctuary, PO Box 393, Hohenwald, TN 38462: St, Jude Children’s Hospital, Memphis, TN, or your local animal shelter. Due to Covid concerns, no funeral service is planned at this time, but the family will honor Bitsy’s memory and life in an outdoor gathering later in the spring.