Page created by: Brad Phillips

Judith (Judy) Ann Phillips, a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend, passed away peacefully on November 15, 2024, in Annapolis, MD, just days shy of her 83rd birthday. Judy was born on November 20, 1941, in Athens, AL, and was the only child of Benjamin Henderson and Ophelia Fogg Henderson. She attended high school at Highland Academy and graduated with the class of 1959. After graduating, she earned her bachelor’s at Southern College, which led to her teaching career in Limestone County Alabama.

After marrying the love of her life Richard Phillips in 1964, Judy and Richard built a life in Athens, where she became a cherished member of her community. Known for her radiant and kind heart, Judy devoted herself to her family and the causes close to her heart. She was an active in her church community, a creative spirit, and a source of inspiration to many.

Judy is survived by her devoted children James Phillips, Brad Phillips and his wife Miriam (Mindy) Lehman, and their two children Charlotte Phillips, and Emerson Phillips, along with countless friends who will remember her as a source of unconditional love and endless encouragement. Her legacy lives on in the values she instilled in her loved ones and the lives she touched throughout her journey.

Judy moved to Annapolis, MD in 2018 after being diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease to be closer to her son Brad and his wife Mindy and their two children, Charlotte and Emerson. Her Parkinson's diagnosis did not stop her from being active in Ginger Cove Retirement Community, where she volunteered for several activities, including being editor of the newspaper. However, beginning during the summer of 2024, her Parkinson's became more severe and debilitating. Ultimately the symptoms associated with the disease became insurmountable, and Judy passed away in Anne Arundel Medical Center on November 15, 2024.

Watching someone you love suffer from Parkinson's Disease is painful. The disease itself is devastating because it is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects multiple aspects of a person's physical, emotional, and social well-being. In the late stages of the disease, especially for my mom who maintained her mental acuity, the impact is particularly severe. It is like becoming a prisoner in your own body, having an awareness of what is happening, and being powerless to stop the debilitating effects.