Lydia Ann Phillips RN

1935 - 2018

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our mother, Lydia Ann (Little) Phillips, RN of Frederick on Feb 12, 2018. Ann had beat cancer as early as 1970, and fought it off the rest of her life. Unfortunately, she developed Lewy Body Dementia around 2010 which gradually took its toll on her and led to her passing.

Lydia, known by most as "Ann", was born May 25, 1935 in Norristown, PA to her late father Dr. Frederick B. Little, MD, a WWI veteran and prominent physician in Norristown, and her late mother Edna Slaughter also of Norristown. Ann graduated from Norristown High School, class of 1953. She had intended to follow her father's footsteps and become a physician in the US Navy. She also considered becoming a flight stewardess, but she was deemed too tall. Instead she attended Chestnut Hill Hospital Nursing School near Philadelphia, graduating as a Registered Nurse, class of 1956. While in nursing school she met and married our late father, William G. Phillips IV of Malvern who was in the US Navy at the time. After nursing school, Ann moved to College Park, MD to join her husband Bill, who was then completing postgraduate studies. Ann worked as a campus nurse for the University of Maryland while he completed his PhD. They enjoyed student life, to include football and basketball games, and pizza at the original Ledo's in Adelphi.

Ann and her husband relocated to Catonsville for a time after his graduation, where she worked as an RN at St Agnus Hospital in Baltimore, as well as a private duty nurse with a local physician. In 1963, her husband's new employment brought the both of them to Frederick, MD. From 1963 to 1967, Ann worked as an RN at Frederick Memorial Hospital. She took a leave of absence from nursing until 1976 to stay at home and raise their son and daughter. In 1977 until her retirement in 1993, Ann served Frederick County as an RN and charge nurse at Citizens Nursing Home. Her dedication to her profession, her patients, and the staff were unsurpassed. She later served on the CNH Board of Directors and maintained her state Nursing License in spite of her retirement. She was the consummate "cap and gown" nurse.

Ann was a life-long Episcopalian having been a member of All Saints' Episcopal in Norristown and thereafter of All Saints' Episcopal in Frederick. She and her husband were both very active in many facets of the church. She most enjoyed being a member of the local Saint Mary's chapter and also was a Daughter of the King. Later in life, in addition to many church activities, Ann enjoyed a woodcarving and painting hobby with her husband, and for 10 years operated a small hobby business "Creative Carvings" in which they created many scale replicas of lighthouses and historic buildings among other things. They also enjoyed many travels across the United States with friends and family.

Ann's husband suffered from a major stroke in 2002, and for the next 14 years of his life she was his faithful caregiver. In 2016, no longer able to live independently, Ann and her husband moved into Country Meadows long term care facility in Frederick, where she lived out her remaining days under the best of care. She was preceded in death by her late husband in May of 2017. She is survived by her brother, Frederick B. Little of Ocean City, NJ and his extended family, as well as her son Kent of Carlisle, PA and her daughter Lisa of Charles Town, WV.

A memorial service for Ann and Bill will be held this spring at All Saints Episcopal Church in Frederick on Saturday May 5th at 11am with a reception to follow in the Parish Hall. Those who wish to make a charitable donation on behalf of Ann or Bill may do so to All Saints' Episcopal Church 106 W Church St Frederick, MD 21701 (www.allsaintsmd.org).