Nancy Marie Phillips
Visitation will begin at 11 a.m., Saturday morning, April 14, 2012 at Garland-Van Arkel-Langkamp Funeral Chapel. The family will be present from 2 – 4 p.m. to greet visitors.
Funeral Service: 2 p.m., Sunday afternoon, April 15, 2012 at Bethel Baptist Church with Reverend Bruce Thompson officiating.
Cremation will follow the service and private burial of her ashes will be at a later date in Forest Cemetery.
Nancy passed away Thursday morning, April 12, 2012 at Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines, Iowa at the age of 73 years, 10 months and 29 days.
Nancy Marie Phillips, daughter of George Walter and Sarah Neva Vanderbilt Ross, was born May 14, 1938 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She was a 1956 graduate of Mechanicsville High School and then attended Wartburg College in Waverly. She continued her education at the Michael Reece Hospital School of Radiological Technology in Chicago and graduated in 1959. August 22, 1959, Nancy married Lloyd Keith Phillips in Mechanicsville. They started their life together in Chicago, where Nancy worked at Michael Reece Hospital as the department supervisor in radiology. They remained in Chicago until 1963 when she and Lloyd moved to Oskaloosa. Nancy went to work for Dr. Bennett as a radiology technician and also assisted Lloyd in his optometry practice. Nancy and Lloyd worked together at Phillips Optometry until 2007, when they retired.
Nancy had a passion for children and youth, which she demonstrated by her contributions at the Y-Community Center in Oskaloosa. She served on the board of directors for the YMCA and was on the State of Iowa YMCA Alliance Committee. Nancy was a member of the Y’s Men’s Club and a past member of the YWCA and the Iowa State YMCA Pioneer Cluster. Although, she didn’t know how to swim herself, she served as a co-coordinator for Iowa YMCA Competitive Swimming and was named Outstanding Volunteer for Iowa Swimming. Attending her children and grandchildren’s activities was of major importance to Nancy. In spite of her health struggles with COPD caused by Sjogren’s syndrome, Lupus and a near fatal accident in 1990, she faced life with courage and determination and pressed on because she wanted to spend time with her family. Nancy was also a wonderful cook, she would make huge feasts for her family and every year treated her Y’s Men Club to a wonderful meal. Nancy enjoyed nature and working in the yard, tending to her hostas, peonies and lilacs were labors of love. Music was a special pleasure for Nancy; she played the organ and piano and loved listening to classical music. Nancy also served on the Care Review Committee at Georgian Court Nursing Home. Nancy had attended Bethel Baptist Church for over 38 years.
Her family includes her husband of 52 ½ years, Dr. Lloyd Phillips of Oskaloosa; a daughter and son-in-law, Lisa Phillips and Bob Gaffney of Oskaloosa; sons and daughter-in-law: Kevin Scott Phillips of Houston, TX; Kraig Alan Phillips of West Des Moines, and Aaron Keith and Connie Phillips of Monroe, WI; four grandchildren: Dakota, MaKayla, Kira and Brenna; and a sister, Ruth Ann Fiala of Troy Milles, Iowa. Besides her parents, Nancy was preceded in death by an infant daughter, Kelli Ann and a brother, James Robert Ross.
Memorials may be made to Bethel Baptist Church or the YMCA of Green County, WI, where her son Aaron is the director.
