ELLISVILLE — On Dec. 24, 2016, Billie Joyce Phillips was called home to be with her Lord and Savior. She was 87 years old.

Born on Feb. 12, 1929, in Blair, Okla., she was the child of James Lyndon Terry and Vera Isabel (Bailey) Terry.

Mrs. Phillips graduated from the Wesley School of Nursing in Oklahoma City, Okla., in 1949 as a registered nurse and worked most of her career in the operating room. She retired in 1985 from Jones County Community Hospital (now South Central Regional Medical Center) in Laurel.

Mrs. Phillips was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother. She had a kind heart, quick wit, generous spirit, and servant’s attitude.

She woke every morning with a song in her heart and ended every day with a prayer of thanks. She served as an inspiration to her family and friends because of her loving and generous ways. She gave freely of her time and energy to her church, community, family, and friends.

She served as president of the Hattiesburg-Laurel chapter of the Association of Operating Room Nurses, was active with the retired nurses group in Laurel, volunteered as a nurse for the Red Cross after retirement, was active in the Ellisville Presbyterian Church, and, along with her husband, delivered meals to the elderly and disabled for the Christian Food Mission in Laurel.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Charles; father; mother; and brother, Gene Terry.

She is survived by her sister, Carolyn Dickerson of Altus, Okla.; two sons, Charles Phillips (Linda) of Boonville, Mo., and Dr. Doug Phillips (Kathy) of Meridian; one daughter, Susan Smith (Terry) of Vicksburg; seven grandchildren, Brian Phillips (Samantha) of Lawrence, Kan., Sean Phillips of St. Louis, Jordan Phillips of Driggs, Idaho, Haley Phillips of Memphis, Tenn., Alexandra Phillips of Florence, Ala., Becky (Smith) Kowen (Kelly) of Kingsport, Tenn., and Greg Smith (Ngoc) of Houston, Tex; and four great grandchildren, Adeline and Elliott Phillips of Lawrence, Kan., and Brayden and Madelyn Kowen of Kingsport, Tenn.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Friday, Dec. 30, 2016, at Ellisville Presbyterian Church in Ellisville.

The Rev. Benjamin Glaser will officiate. Interment will follow at the Ellisville City Cemetery.

Visitation will be on Friday from 10 a.m. at the church until the time of the service. Ellisville Funeral Home is in charge of all arrangements.

Pallbearers will be Brian Phillips, Sean Phillips, Greg Smith, Kelly Kowen, Eric Probst and Milt Chittenden.

Honorary pallbearer will be Charlie Probst.

The family would like to express its gratitude for the compassionate care Mrs. Phillips received from Dr. Daniel Edney and his staff; Valerie Taylor and LaShondra McCloud; the staff of Heritage House Nursing Home, particularly the therapy staff and the kind CNAs and LPNs who, with loving hearts, attended to her daily needs; and the staff of St. Joseph Hospice.

In lieu of flowers, the family would ask that you consider a contribution to the Ellisville Presbyterian Church, Palmer Home for Children, or Christian Food Mission in Laurel.

An online guestbook may be signed at ellisvillefuneralhome.com