IONIA PHILLIPS

RURAL LIBERAL- Services will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Verdella Free Will Baptist Church for Ionia May Phillips, 89, rural Liberal, who died Saturday, May 6, 2023.

A visitation will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, at the church.

Arrangements are under the direction of Konantz Warden Funeral Home, Lamar.

Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to the Missouri Free Will Baptist Youth Camp (Camp Niangua), in care of the funeral home.

The obituary may be viewed at www.konantzwarden.com.

Survivors include a son, Clinton Phillips; daughters Lora McWilliams and husband Lonnie and Lynette Emmerson and husband Brent; grandchildren, Charity Burchett and husband Craig, Chris Waring, Josh Ablian, John Emmerson and wife Kassidy and Amanda Emmerson and several great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 70 years and a great-granddaughter, Caitlyn May Burchett.

Mrs. Phillips was born April 29, 1934, to Roy and Ivernia (Fitchpatrick) Hizar, in rural Barton County. She was a 1952 graduate of Liberal High School. She married Roger Phillips at the Verdella Free Will Baptist Church on July 6, 1952. Prior to raising her children she worked as a telephone operator, worked at the ASCS office and at Barton County Memorial Hospital as a housekeeper. She spent her entire life serving others.

She served as a Sunday school teacher, youth group leader, church camp sponsor and devoted prayer warrior. She was a devoted wife and a 4-H volunteer for over 50 years, helping her children, grandchildren and even great-grandchildren with their 4-H projects.

She took joy in being able to help people achieve their goals by helping them to get where they needed to be, no matter what time of day or what the cost. She was a faithful encourager who would always call and check on her neighbors, friends and family.