Elsie W Phillips

Elsie Frances Woodruff Phillips, born October 30, 1912 died September 10, 2011 at Hospice Atlanta. Elsie is predeceased by her husband of 62 years, John Arthur (Jack) Phillips and a daughter, Mary Kathleen (Kat) Parton. Elsie is survived by seven children, John Arthur (Johnny) Phillips of Lebanon, Virginia; Emmett Michael (Mike) Phillips of Griffin, Georgia; Thomas Patrick (Tommy) Phillips of Irmo, South Carolina; Theresa McDugald of Atlanta, Georgia; Rosemary Poole of Dahlonega, Georgia; Joseph Anthony (Joe) Phillips of Gainesville, Florida; and Cecilia Stachler of Dayton Ohio. She is also survived

by 20 grandchildren, and 8 great grandchildren.

Elsie was born and raised in Atlanta and she loved sharing stories of old Atlanta and the way things were during her youth in the Atlanta area. She attended E. Rivers Elementary School on Peachtree Road and Sacred Heart Catholic Girls High School until the age of 16 when she had to drop out and go to work at the Sears Roebuck store on Ponce de Leon Avenue to support herself and her Mother. She and Jack married in December of 1935 and she worked at Sears in the mail room until she became pregnant with her first child in 1936 because pregnant women were not allowed to work in that day.

Elsie was a devout Catholic and was a member of several parishes in the Atlanta area during her life. She was baptized, confirmed and married at the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. She was also a member of St. Anthony’s of West End, Sacred Heart and her final parish was the Cathedral of Christ the King which she joined while a resident of the Campbellstone Retirement Community in Buckhead.

At the age of 48, Elsie returned to the work force and became the Executive Housekeeper at the Dinkler Plaza Hotel. She had the opportunity to meet or see many famous guests that stayed at the Dinkler during her time there including President Johnson, Ray Charles, Tiny Tim and Michael Jackson. She “babysat” Michael Jackson in her office as a small boy while the older members of the Jackson Five went out on the town in Atlanta.

The family will receive visitors at Patterson’s Funeral Home on Spring Street, Atlanta on Wednesay, September 14 from 6-8 pm. A funeral mass will be said by her good friend, Father Steve Yander at the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception on Thursday, September 15 at 1:30 in the afternoon.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers that donations be made in Elsie’s name to Hospice Atlanta. Online condolences may be made at hmpattersonspringhill.com.