Maxine Adelle Phillips

Maxine Adelle Stapleton Phillips, died at home on Friday, August 16, after a lengthy illness. Graveside services will be held 11:00am Tuesday August 20,2013 at Oak Dale Cemetery, Brandon, MS. Visitation will be Monday August 19, 2013 at Wright & Ferguson Funeral Home Highland Colony from 5:00pm till 7:00pm.

She was born August 31, 1930, to Sidney and Delle Stapleton. She graduated from Central High School and attended the University of Southern Mississippi. After leaving college, she worked at South Central Bell. In 1949, she met a dashing young man, Hop Phillips, whom she married in 1952, becoming an Air Force wife. In the next five years, she had three adorable daughters. Maxine, an avid reader, instilled in all of her children a love of books.

Maxine was a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother and will be sorely missed. Her daughters fondly recall hours spent learning state capitals, county seats, and spelling words while their mother stood at the ironing board pressing uniforms, handkerchiefs, and pillowcases. The family was an Air Force family who moved frequently in the States and in England, but she always made every house or base quarters a home. She loved reading, gardening, shopping, and doing crossword puzzles.

She is survived by her husband of 61 years, Durell Phillips of Jackson; three daughters, Polly Harrington of Madison, Pat Phillips (Pat Collins) of Clinton, and Mary Sills (David Sills) of Louisville, KY. Her grandchildren include Daniel Harrington (Andrea) of Murfreesboro, TN, Christopher Sills (Carol) of Cuenca, Ecuador, Kate Harrington of Murfreesboro, TN, and Molly Sills Patterson (Daniel) of Nashville, TN. She also had six great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Salvation Army.