Lindsey Phillips

Our dearest and beloved Lindsey Grace Phillips tragically departed this world on December 2, 2022 at the age of 23. She is survived by her parents, Mark R. and Amy W. Phillips, her brother, Brennan R. Phillips, uncle and aunts, Dale and Julie Phillips, Brian Phillips, Nick and Misti Rains Waters and nieces and nephews, Daniel and Jacob Phillips, Hunter, Jackie and Holden Waters along with many dearly loved cousins. Lindsey was preceded in death by her grandparents, Charles E. and Marilyn Becnel Phillips and Patsy Still Williams and Jerald A. Waters. Lindsey was living her dream of creating magic at various theme parks in Orlando, Florida. On the night of December 1, she was working in a pyrotechnic warehouse when an intense fire and explosions engulfed the warehouse trapping her and four other co-workers. Despite valiant efforts of firefighters and paramedics, the tragedy has claimed the life of three young and beautiful souls, including our precious Lindsey Grace. Words can not express the absolute awe and joy we experienced with the birth of our Lindsey Grace on March 19, 1999. She was our first child and first girl Phillips in many generations. She was even curious as an infant, taking in everything she saw and heard, she was an old soul. When her mother first looked in to her eyes after birth, Lindsey looked at her like she had known her before. That was the day that we felt God's presence most strongly. Lindsey was truly a gift from God. We were so very blessed to be her parents. Lindsey's life was full of joyous occasions as she wanted to live life to the fullest and especially enjoyed sharing trips and experiences with her family and her many, many friends. She loved Disney from the her very first trip to Disney World when she was just 18 months old. Lindsey's vast intelligence and thirst for knowledge put her well beyond her chronological age. On that first trip, she marveled at the worlds, sights, sounds and thrills that theme parks immersed her in. On that first trip and on each succeeding trip, it was the happiness and joy she experienced at theme parks that led her to eventually pursue a career in the arts and theme parks and attractions. Lindsey started her education at La Printanaire Montessori School in Baton Rouge as a very precocious 3-year-old and she graduated from La Print after 5th grade. Her years at La Print were filled with the most wonderful learning experiences and is where she first experienced the joy of art and learning in a uniquely structured environment and curriculum. She had the fondest memories of her days there from her dearest and thoughtful teachers, administrators, and precious classmates. The various annual celebrations and especially the candlelight ceremony that marked the passing of each school year gave her so much pleasure and fellowship. Her brother Brennan was also blessed to experience the beauty of learning at LaPrint. For that, we are forever thankful. We love everyone at La Printaniere and it will always be a place of peace and happiness for our family. After graduating from LaPrint, Lindsey attended St. Aloyisius and then went to high school at St. Joseph's Academy where she graduated in 2017 with a 4.5 and earned numerous awards and achievements. She especially enjoyed working in the Writing Center, where she helped fellow students with their writing projects. She was involved in art at SJA and the French Club. In her 8th grade year, Lindsey Grace was selected to be a member of the prestigious Les Jeunes Amies de La Symphonie (LJA). The LJA program was a 4 year membership designed to help the girls develop leadership skills, mentoring skills, fundraising skills and develop volunteerism while supporting the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra and LA Youth Orchestra. Only 20 girls are accepted each year and many hours are spent learning grace and manners and volunteering in many capacities. Amy became very involved in the Symphony League operations and the involvement in LJA programs allowed Amy and Lindsey to spend valuable time together doing good for our community. Her time as an LJA came to a conclusion at a beautiful debutante ball in December of 2016. It was a magical night that we will never forget. Being involved in the LJA program will always be one of the most rewarding things that Lindsey and Amy did together, and we are so thankful for that opportunity and the extra special memories. Lindsey's brilliance and grasp of all subject matters meant that any career path was hers to pursue and she certainly would have excelled in any field of study. The absolute joy she experienced as an artist and writer led her to attend art school and pursue a career in themed entertainment. She found the path that allowed her to start creating that sense of delight and wonder she experienced at theme parks for others. Bringing bliss to visitors of theme parks was her calling. Lindsey received a scholarship offer from Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) and enrolled in 2017 to major in Production Design with a concentration in Theme Parks, Attractions and Design. She not only flourished at SCAD but excelled in every subject and was truly adored by her professors and classmates. She loved the history and architecture of Savannah as it was similar to her beloved New Orleans in so many ways. She graduated Magna Cum Laude with multiple honors from SCAD in May 2021. In all of her educational years, she made straight A's, as she delighted in joy of learning and was determined to do her very best in everything she did in life. She gave 1000% to everything she ever did. After graduating in from SCAD, Lindsey moved to Orlando in June 2021 where she flourished and excelled in her work for various projects at Universal Studios, Sea World, Scream & Stream and Disney World. One summer in college, she participated in the Disney College Program and that experience was one of the most enjoyable and meaningful experiences of her short life. Her greatest joy was for family and friends to visit her in Orlando, where she loved playing your personal tour guide to each of the theme parks. She so loved sharing the knowledge of each and every ride and experience at the parks. She would point out things only her artistic vision saw that the common tourist easily overlooked. She loved all the rides, especially roller coasters. She loved riding them with her friends, her dad, but her mom, well, not so much. Her favorite seasonal attraction was Universal Studios Haunted Halloween Nights (HHN). It was her dream to work for HHN and Universal Studios, and her dream came true this past Halloween. She helped design and build a haunted house and then worked as a VIP tour guide each night of HHN. All the guests who toured with her loved her enthusiasm, and true love and vast knowledge of the event. She was in her element and never grew tired of the joys of theme parks and her family and friends loved and will forever miss trips there with her. Lindsey's other passions were being with horses, she started riding at age 5 and soon began competing in the hunter jumper arena. We have many boxes of priceless ribbons, trophies and medals she won following her passion. We still have her last horse, who she loved with her entire heart and he loved her intensely. His name is Apollo and is the most beautiful and kind natured half American Warmblood, half draft horse with Palomino color and markings. Lindsey and her mother spent so many joyful years together traveling to many, many horse shows. It was their favorite thing to do together. She road with Sommerview Farms in Baton Rouge, Sunfox Farms in Gonzales and at Sugar Wolfe Farms in Savannah. She believed in the caring and magic only a horse can give a human. Lindsey loved the outdoors and experiencing all of the beauty that God created on this earth. She loved every minute of being in nature, taking hikes and feeling the sense of wellbeing it gives one's heart and soul taking in God's creations. She found immense inspiration in nature. Lindsey's last few months were likely her happiest as she had fallen head over heels in love with her loving and most caring boyfriend, Devin Pimm. They adored each other and he treated her like the princess she was. In their tragically short relationship, they traveled to Ireland and were able to make 2 trips to New Orleans where Amy and I were able to spend time with them. The last trip was just this past Tuesday and Wednesday, November 29 and 30. Amy and I spent two days taking in the sights, sounds, food and everything New Orleans has to offer. Devin lovingly called me and Amy Mom and Dad, which we adored. On our last day in New Orleans, we hiked the entire walkway of City Park on the most beautiful blue sky day taking in the sights of the century old live oaks surrounding the many beautiful lakes filled with ducks, swans, geese along with all of the wildlife that lived in the park. They were locked hand in hand the entire time. To that Devin, we can't express how happy you made Lindsey and how truly devastated we are that Lindsey was taken away from you and us. There was so much more ahead for you and all of her friends and our families. Lindsey was the most loving, caring and compassionate person there ever was. She loved everyone and especially her family and friends. She was so thoughtful and loved sharing her experiences with her parents on nearly a daily basis. Everything was a thrill to her as she had the brightest internal light that beamed happiness and inspired all the people she knew. We all wanted to be better humans because of her. There are so many special people in her life that it is impossible to name them all. Brennan was a most loving, and sometimes irritating, little brother that will miss her dearly. We want to thank God for our dearly departed Connie Honore, who was Lindsey and Brennan's nanny from birth through elementary school, Mary Thomas and Chelsea Maulden Trice both loved and helped take care of Lindsey and Brennan for many, many years, to Debbie and Gerry Carbo, neighbors, who were their surrogate grandparents, and all of Lindsey's aunts and uncles, nieces and nephews and the many cousins that we spent many holidays with together. My dearest Lindsey you will be missed by all and we know you will have made many upgrades to the beauty of heaven by the time we all come there to be with you. We know you are happy there with God, Jesus, your grandparents, your teacher, Skip Gladney and all of our family and friends already there. God bless you Lindsey, we will love and think of you constantly for the rest of our days and will find solace knowing you are happy there in Heaven with Jesus. The visitation will begin at 10:30 am until noon, Dec. 12, with the funeral following, both at Broadmoor Methodist Church at 10230 Mollylea Dr. at Sharp Rd. A celebration reception will follow immediately at The LSU Rural Life Museum at 4560 Essen Lane, the museum is a 1.5 mile drive through nature once you enter the gates, turn left into the parking lot. God bless all of you and your precious children. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to GaitWay Therapeutic Horsemanship.