Phyllis Lynn Burrell

Phyllis Lynn Burrell was born May 15, 1958 in Newark, New Jersey to the late Bernice and Leon Burrell. She was the youngest of her two siblings Melvin Jones, Sr., and Bernice J. Hall. Phyllis attended South 8th Street Elementary School in the City of Newark. After the Newark Riots, her family settled in the City of East Orange in 1968. During her summers, she became actively involved in the East Orange Community Development Agency's Youth Council as a mentor. Alternately, Phyllis also spent many of her summer months in North Carolina cultivating close relationships with her cousins and family members.
Upon graduating from East Orange High School (Class of 1976) as a "Proud Panther", she followed in her older sister Bernice's footsteps to become a "Shaw Bear'' by attending Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina. She graduated in 1981 with a BS in Business Management, Minor in Marketing/Finance. Shortly after earning her degree, she stayed in North Carolina and worked at International Business Machines (IBM).
After returning home, Phyllis worked at Blue Cross Blue Shield for many years before she decided to reconnect with the youth and enter the field of education. She worked as a substitute teacher at Malcolm X. Shabazz High School in Newark where she also proudly served as the Junior and Senior Class Advisor for several years. As an avid women's basketball enthusiast, she also worked closely with the Shabazz Lady Bulldogs Basketball Team as their statistician. During her tenure at Shabazz, she made many lifelong friends with both students and staff.
Phyllis possessed a great sense of humor. She loved to tell jokes and often gave her friends and associates nicknames. However, she always had a kind word and a smile. She tried to help any and everyone who came to her seeking assistance. She would open her home to give you a place to stay when needed. She was the ultimate dot connector and she was great at referrals. If you needed help, she knew someone to solve the problem and was quick to respond: "I got a guy!"
Phyllis worked more than 25 years as a Senior Buyer for the City of East Orange, again fostering meaningful friendships. While working for the City, she earned a Master's Degree from Rutgers University in Procurement and Contracting. She was savvy at cost estimating.
Phyllis had many interests, she was an entrepreneur for many years, remember "the Basement Boutique", and spent her Wednesdays in the summer traveling to Harlem, New York to vend her hand-selected wears at Grant's Tomb Park, and many other local festivals. She was civically engaged in local politics here in East Orange, where she served as a community organizer and campaign manager for a number of former elected officials. Later in life, Phyllis renewed her commitment to God and was baptized at New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, N.J. Fulfilling a lifelong dream, Phyllis joined the Swing Phi Swing Social Fellowship, Inc. in September 2013. She was always involved in their many community service initiatives. She loved entertaining family and friends, watching old movies, listening to music, cooking her world-class crab cakes and peach cobbler. We can't forget her Saturday night card parties – Bid Whist was her game. She was an avid reader and an EXTREME dog lover, and loved her South Carolina Lady Gamecocks Basketball Team, where she never missed a game.
Phyllis was preceded in death by her beloved mother Bernice Woods, father Leon Burrell, and stepfather Eli Woods. She leaves to celebrate her life with sisters Bernice Hall, Jacqueline Woods-Farmer (Richard Farmer), her brother Melvin Jones, Sr. (Dyanne), her Aunt Sarah Lomax, niece Kaylan Jones (Damon), nephew Melvin Jones, Jr.(Lia), and a host of cousins and many lifelong sister/brother friends.
For those who really knew Phyllis, we knew that she would not be on time for anything, because she was always late, lol. However, at this very moment as we celebrate her life, she is on time with God.