Bernice M. Phillips

Bernice M. Phillips, 90, a resident of Good Samaritan Home, died Sunday (Dec. 14, 2014) in Quincy.

Bernice was born April 23, 1924, in Quincy, a daughter of Bernard L. and Josephine A. Prost Liesen.

Bernice married Harold F. "Harry" Phillips on Oct. 23, 1947, in St. Mary's Catholic Church in Quincy. He died Jan. 18, 2008.

Like her husband, Bernice was a World War II veteran, serving two years in the Women's Army Air Corps, attaining the rank of corporal.

Bernice enjoyed a variety of employment opportunities with the Illinois Bell Telephone Co., Davis-Cleaver Produce Co., J.H. Miller Manufacturing Co. and Avon Products, culminating with a 10-year career with Kresge, where she managed the jewelry department at the Town and Country Shopping Center.

She enjoyed an active retirement with more than 30 years of volunteer service with St. Mary's Hospital, Blessing Hospital and RSVP. She was a 25-year member of the YMCA ,where her diligent swimming regimen enabled her to overcome the rheumatoid arthritis that threatened to control her active volunteerism.

Bernice loved the arts. She sang with the Sweet Adelines and Volunteer Voices, collected music boxes that played many of her favorite songs and enjoyed poetry, both reading the poetry of others as well as writing poetry of her own. And while perhaps not as artistic, she also loved the Cubs!

Most of all, Bernice loved being a wife to Harry; a mother to Diana, Patti, Cathy, Tom and Brad; a grandmother to Jamie, Jason, Andrew, Jeremy, Sarah, Matt, Blake and Greg; and a great-grandmother to Gage, Loren, Noah and Ava. She was extremely proud of all of her children and their spouses, her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. All of them can attest to her culinary expertise, especially her renown for baking pies. Name a fruit pie, she could make it; name a cream pie, she could make it; pecan pie, yes, that kind too, all with her unmatched, made-from-scratch pie crust! And, at Christmastime, with each of her grandchildren, she shared the wonder of a special snow globe from her collection.

Whether playing cards with her family, regularly attending card parties with her many friends, playing bingo with her Good Sam friends, or reliving their many family camping trips (yes, card playing, too, with other campers at their Mendon campsite!), Bernice was special and will be missed.

She is survived by her five children, Diana L. Holzgrafe (Roger) of Peoria, Patricia J. McKibben (Dan) of Indianapolis, Catherine M. Burke (Darrel) of Quincy, Thomas J. Phillips (Sharon) of Maywood, Mo., and Bradley J. Phillips (Jane) of Ballwin, Mo.; eight grandchildren, Jamie M. Shake, Jason L. Burke (Julie), Andrew T. Phillips (Chrissy), Jeremy L. Burke, Sarah Lynn Phillips, Matthew J. Phillips, William Blake Holzgrafe and Gregory J. Phillips; and four great-grandchildren, Gage and Loren Shake, Noah Hochgraber and Ava Burke.

In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her parents and her four siblings, Raymond Liesen, Howard Liesen, Dolores Whelan and Florence Hartman, and their spouses.

SERVICES: 9:45 a.m. Monday, Dec. 22, in the Duker and Haugh Funeral Home, and at 10:30 a.m. at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church with the Rev. Tom Hagstrom officiating. Burial will be in St. Anthony of Padua Cemetery.

VISITATION: 3-6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 21, in the funeral home. Family and friends will recite the rosary at the conclusion of the visitation.

MEMORIALS: In lieu of flowers, ornamentals or statuary, memorials may be made to the Arthritis Foundation, 1415 Vermont, Quincy, IL 62301; Catholic Youth Organization (CYO), 700 Broadway, Quincy, IL 62301; Central Illinois Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association, 639 York, Quincy, IL 62301; and St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church, 2223 St. Anthony Road, Quincy, IL 62301.

ARRANGEMENTS: Duker and Haugh Funeral Home.

WEBSITE: www.dukerandhaugh.com.

Condolences may be expressed online at whig.com.