Letha Phillips

Letha Joscelyn Phillips, of Norwich, who recently celebrated her 100th birthday at Calvary Baptist Church went to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ on September 25, 2024. She was born in Deposit, NY on August 27 1924 to the late Alfred and Sara Joscelyn. She was raised in Tyner on the family farm and graduated from Oxford Academy and Central School in 1942. Shortly after her graduation, she was hired by Scintilla in Sidney, NY having to travel by train back and forth to work. There she met her future husband Merton E. Phillips who was a widower with four children. Merton and all four children predeceased her. The children were Darwin (Ruth) Phillips, Royal (Edyth) Phillips, Ruth (Howard) Phillips Breslin, and John (Margie) Phillips. Merton and Letha had three children who survive, David (Donna) Phillips, Donna (Wayne) Philips Rose, and Sharon (Bob) Phillips Roberts; 26 grandchildren and many great-grandchildren are also left behind.

Letha was mostly at home with her children until later in her marriage when she worked at the US Post Office in North Norwich and then at Kroger Insurance in Norwich. Letha was very active with Gideon International Auxiliary, where she served for 79 years. She was also active in her church’s AWANA Clubs and Valley Heights Christian Academy in their library. She was a faithful wife and helpmate to Merton and together they served the Lord for 42 years.

Funeral services will be held at Calvary Baptist Church, 75 Calvary Dr. Norwich, on Monday September 30, at 5:00pm with Pastor Jeremy Kotash officiating. The family will receive friends at the church on Monday from 3:00pm until the time of service. She will be laid to rest next to Merton at Forest Cemetery in St. Regis Falls, NY. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, please make donations in her memory to Calvary Baptist Church.