Bertha Leona Murphy Phillips, age 92, left this earth for her home in Heaven, August, 24, 2022.
She was born August 13, 1930 in Kilbourne, LA, to the late Hattie Mary Lou Baker and Melvin Corbit Murphy, then grew up and attended high school in Eudora, AR. It was there that she worked for Bell Telephone Co. as a Switchboard Operator, married and started a family. She was preceded in death by her husband of 65 years, Curtis Aubrey Phillips, with whom she moved to Poplar, MT in the early 50s and ministered to the Assiniboine Indian Tribe on the reservation there, with the Southern Baptist Home Mission Board. She was also preceded by 4 older brothers - Clarence, Paul, Olin and Derward Murphy, 4 older sisters - Marie Murphy, Dorothy Barley, Onie Donaldson, Margie Robinson, and son-in-law, William (Bill) Carothers, Jr.

Survivors include one daughter, Martha Phillips Carothers of Little Rock, grandchildren - Kristin and husband Eric De Vries of Little Rock, Phillip Keith Carothers and wife Lindsey of Cabot, great-grandchildren - Lauran and husband Jeremy Medlock, of Maumelle, Tyler De Vries, and Emma De Vries of Little Rock., Dylan Yancey and Braden Carothers of Cabot and great-great-granddaughter Kinsley Medlock. She is also survived by one son, Kenneth Phillips of Camden, sister-in-law Mary Elizabeth Phillips Criswell of North Little Rock and a host of nieces and nephews.

After moving back to AR, she devoted her life to making a loving home where both family and friends always knew they were welcome and she would always be prepared with a freshly baked cake or pie. She derived great pleasure from sewing and made all of her own clothes and those of her daughter as long as she was able. For as long as her health allowed, she taught children's Sunday-School classes and kept the nursery where she attended church at Centennial Baptist and Eastside Baptist in Pine Bluff and Sunny Gap Baptist Church in Conway.

Her greatest joy in life came when her arms and home were filled with grandchildren and then great-grandchildren. Her babies were always her babies, no matter how old they were. She had a deep love for her family that only grew stronger as she grew older.

It's with much joy that we invite you to join us in honoring our Mother, Grandma, Great-Grandma, Aunt Leon, or your dear friend Leona. Whoever she was to you, she was an immeasurable blessing and we ask you to join the family as we praise God for loaning her to us till He was ready to call her home.

"A Celebration of Life" - Saturday, September 3rd - 10:30 a.m.,
The Summit Church, 6600 Crystal Hill Rd., North Little Rock, AR 72118 Room 110

In lieu flowers, please make a memorial gift to the church or charity of your choice.