Linda Phillips Blackley

Wake Forest – Linda Phillips Blackley passed away peacefully at Avendelle at Heritage on October 21st, 2025.

She was born in Johnston County, the daughter of the late Repsie Hales Phillips and Melvin Joshua Phillips. Linda was preceded in death her husband, Wayne Blackley, and by brothers and sisters Melvin Vernon Phillips, Esther Phillips O'Mara, Sadie Phillips Bissette, Donald Wayne Phillips, Sue Phillips Creech, Clentis Rose Capps, Nelson Eugene Phillips, Joseph Hillary Phillips, and Percy Lee Phillips.

She started work for the NC State Department of Employment Security at the age of 18 and retired at 52. She was a Statistical Research Assistant using her giftedness with analytics to serve the State of NC that she loved so much. When asked, she was quick to tell you that she put her 34 years in.

During her 58-year marriage to her husband, Wayne, they enjoyed travelling to Pigeon Forge for car shows and touring the coast, viewing the lighthouses. She loved to read, do puzzles, and spend time with family, from her siblings to her great grandchildren. She was a Tarheel fan who enjoyed nothing more than watching them play basketball, even though the home was divided since her husband was a Blue Devil fan. When you saw them after a game, you knew instantly who had won. She, along with Wayne, was a "servant" caring for others before themselves. They expressed this through faithful service at Beulah Christian Baptist Church and throughout the community. She taught Sunday School for over 40 years as well as serving on several committees at Beulah. She loved to laugh but usually found herself on the wrong end of the jokes, looking for opportunities to get her own laughs in.

Most of all, she loved her husband, Wayne. She made sure he was always taken care of, and when he was not able to do it for himself, she became his nurse. They exemplified for better or worse, richer or poorer, in sickness and in health. Her greatest joy beyond Wayne was her daughter Karen and husband Ken Best, her son Phillip and wife Celine Blackley, her eight grandchildren, Kyle and Elizabeth Elliott, Allison Nicole and Jeremy Pace, Kevin Blackley, Julia and Chris Dvoracek, and Kaili Best, her great grandchildren Owen and Riley Elliott.

The family will receive friends Monday, October 27th from 12:00PM to 12:45PM at Beulah Christian Baptist Church located on Mitchell Mill Rd.

Funeral services celebrating the life of Linda will be held on Monday, October 27th at 1:00PM by Pastors Ronnie Sneed and Phillip Blackley at Beulah Christian Baptist Church.

We extend heartfelt gratitude to Aunt Sue and her caregiving family at Avendelle at Heritage for their loving care.

Memorial donations may be made to the Beulah Christian Baptist Church Cemetery Fund.

Please visit www.brightfuenrals.com to share words of comfort to the family.

Bright Funeral Home is serving the Blackley family.