Brenda Joyce Phillips
September 18, 1954 - May 30, 2016

Stephenson-Dearman Funeral Home 943 Highway 425 North Monticello, AR 71655 Map & Directions Gathering of Friends & Family Stephenson-Dearman Funeral Home 943 Highway 425 North Monticello ,  AR 71657 6/4/2016 at 11:00 a.m. Map & Directions   Campground Cemetery Campground Rd. Monticello, AR 71655 Map & Directions

Brenda Joyce (Smith) Phillips was born September 18, 1954, to the late Willie Gene Smith, Sr. and the late Martha Mary (Green) Smith. She departed this life at 3:30 pm on May 30, 2016, at the Delta Regional Hospital in Greenville, MS.

She united in holy matrimony to the love of her life, Melvin Phillips, for just a little over 25 years. They raised three (3) children together. Brenda was a Christian woman who knew her Bible, believed in serving God and taught her children and grandchildren to do the same. Brenda was a beautiful, spunky lady who always had somewhere to go, something to do and was going to look nice while doing it, and in her words, “sharp as a tack.” She was also a hard worker who wanted anyone around her to have plenty of food and not want for anything. During her life, she was often sick, but that never stopped her from singing spiritual hymns in her angelic voice.

She graduated high school, attended Pines Vocational School in Pine Bluff, AR, Great Rivers in McGehee, AR, and University of Arkansas at Monticello in Monticello, AR. She had several jobs from industry work to cooking to parent coordinator for the Lake Side School District; however, working as the parent coordinator gave her the greatest joy for over 25 years.

She loved her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren to the moon and back, and no one could tell her any different. She was proceeded in death by her parents, her husband and one daughter, Safonda Chrishann.

She leaves to cherish her memories: one daughter, Deone Shawntrell Ollison; one son, Marlando Romell Phillips; her mother-in-law, Bernice Brooks; three granddaughters, Niara Smith, MaKiyah and MaZiyah Phillips; five grandsons, Bryson, Chancellor, and Timothy Ollison, Jr., Marlando Romell Phillips, Jr. and Eean Jahari Amel Phillips; one great-granddaughter, Kiernan N’Kye Smith; one great-grandson, Logan Chance Ollison, and one expected bundle of joy in January; three brothers, Willie Lee (Denise) Smith, Jr. of Chicago, IL, Willie Gene (Barbara) Smith, Jr. of Monticello, AR, and Don Edward (Camellia) Smith of Dumas, AR; four aunts, Charlie M. Jackson of Wilmar, AR, Dorothy Mae (Hubert) Martin of Milwaukee, WI, Criverstean Green of Warren, AR, and Rosa (Wardell) Wright of Wilmar, AR; four uncles, Ernest Smith of Milwaukee, WS, and John Wesley Smith, Sr., of Monticello, AR, Joe (Janie) Green of Tulsa, OK, Tommy (Shanta) Watts of Oklahoma City, OK; two cousins who she considered sisters, Joyce Handley of El Paso, TX, and daughter, Delores Williams and family of Pine Bluff, AR, one daughter-in-law and niece whom she considered her own, Darlene Johnson and daughter, Toccara Daniels of Monticello, AR, and many special daughters, and son who referred to her as “Mama” or “Mama Phillips” along with a host of sisters and brothers-in-law, aunts, uncles, cousins, family and friends.

Funeral Service will be at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, June 4, 2016 at Stephenson-Dearman Chapel with burial to follow in Campground Cemetery. Online guestbook page is www.stephensondearman.com.