Patricia E. Phillips

Patricia Elaine (Thomas) Phillips was born in Norfolk in 1938. She lived her early years in North Carolina with her parents, who sadly both had passed by the time she was a teenager.  She moved to Norfolk to live with extended family and attended Norview High School, where she excelled in academics and was a cheerleader and graduated as a proud member of the class of 1956. Patricia married her high school sweetheart, Jack Phillips; and they were married for 65 wonderful years.

After high school, Patricia worked as a secretary for the federal government and then began her many years of working for local schools, Baylake Pines and then Norfolk Academy, where she retired from as Director of Volunteers in 2009. She loved working with youth and served as Youth Director at Wesley UMC in Norfolk and Baylake UMC in Virginia Beach. Her vibrant personality and love of flowers and helping others was obvious to all at the many events and weddings she worked on, as well as all the volunteering she was involved with.

She loved her children Kimberly and Timothy (deceased); and the light of her life were her Grandchildren, Jordan and Brandon Rizzo, whom she was very active and present for, forever bragging about and never missing a milestone. She loved the numerous vacations with family and friends to FL, NC, VT and the many Cruises they shared together. She will be missed immensely by her family and friends, who will forever remember her kindness and beautiful and caring spirit with a smile for everyone.

As there will only be a private closed ceremony, instead of flowers, please make a donation in her name to Operation Smile, a charity close to her heart and one that she was involved with through her time at Norfolk Academy.