Wanda Phillips

1927 - 2024

Mrs. Wanda Lee Witherspoon Phillips, 97, of Clarksville, Arkansas, the only child of Arthur Monroe, "Monroe or A.M." and Dennie Adair Witherspoon, died at her home Tuesday, December 10, 2024.

She was born in Prescott, Arkansas, on April 12, 1927. Her parents moved to Russellville in 1929. She graduated from Russellville High School in 1945 and attended Arkansas Tech for two years before completing a bachelor's degree in 1949 at what is now the University of Central Arkansas. She earned a Master of Education degree from George Peabody College for Teachers in Nashville, Tennessee. George Peabody is now a part of Vanderbilt University. Before marriage, she taught for three years at Atkins and then five years at Hughes, Arkansas.

On August 25, 1957, Ben Hugh Phillips, Jr. and Wanda Witherspoon were married in the Russellville Wesley Methodist Church. She then moved her church membership from Hughes to the Clarksville Methodist Church to which Ben and his family belonged. In the 1830s, three generations of Ben's maternal ancestors were among the founding members of this congregation.

Wanda and Ben were parents of two sons. She stayed home with them until the younger was in the first grade. During those 11 years, she taught seven years of kindergarten classes in her home. She returned to public school and continued to teach for 19 years in the Clarksville school system. In 1987 she retired after having taught 34 years. That is almost the same number of years that her mother had taught.

Preceding her in death were her parents and husband, Ben, who died in 2005 in their 48th year of marriage.

Surviving her are her two sons Ben Hugh "Hugh" Phillips II; and Alan Monroe and his wife Vickie Phillips all of Azle, Texas.

Visitation services will be from 5-7 p.m., Friday, December 13, 2024, at Roller-Cox Funeral Home Chapel in Clarksville. Funeral services will be at 10 a.m., Saturday, December 14, 2024, in the Clarksville First United Methodist Church, with Pastor Heather Clawitter officiating. Burial will follow in Oakland Cemetery in Clarksville, Arkansas, under the direction of Roller-Cox Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial to the First United Methodist Church, 200 W Sevier St., PO Box 535, Clarksville, AR 72830, or a charity of your choice, would be appreciated.