Bernice M. Phillips, 90, died December 14, 2014, a resident of Good Samaritan Home in Quincy. Bernice was born April 23, 1924, in Quincy, a daughter of Bernard L. and Josephine A. Prost Liesen.

Bernice married Harold F. “Harry” Phillips on October 23, 1947, in St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Quincy. He died January 18, 2008. She is survived by her five children, Diana L. Holzgrafe (Roger) of Peoria, Patricia J. McKibben (Dan) of Indianapolis, Catherine M. Burke (Darrel) of Quincy, Thomas J. Phillips (Sharon) of Maywood, Missouri, and Bradley J. Phillips (Jane) of Ballwin, Missouri, eight grandchildren, Jamie M. Shake, Jason L. Burke (Julie), Andrew T. Phillips (Chrissy), Jeremy L. Burke, Sarah Lynn Phillips, Matthew J. Phillips, William Blake Holzgrafe and Gregory J. Phillips, and four great-grandchildren, Gage and Loren Shake, Noah Hochgraber and Ava Burke.

She was also preceded in death by her parents and her four siblings, Raymond Liesen, Howard Liesen, Dolores Whelan, and Florence Hartman, and their spouses.

Like her husband, Bernice was a World War II veteran, serving two years in the Women’s Army Air Corps attaining the rank of Corporal.

Bernice enjoyed a variety of employment opportunities with the Illinois Bell Telephone Company, Davis-Cleaver Produce Company, J. H. Miller Manufacturing Company, and Avon Products, culminating with a ten-year career with Kresge’s where she managed the jewelry department in the Kresge’s store at the Town and Country Shopping Center.

She enjoyed an active retirement with more than 30 years of volunteer service with St. Mary’s Hospital, Blessing Hospital and RSVP. She was a 25-year member of the YMCA where her diligent swimming regimen enabled her to overcome the rheumatoid arthritis that threatened to control her active volunteerism.

Bernice loved the Arts. She sang with the Sweet Adelines and Volunteer Voices, collected music boxes that played many of her favorite songs, and enjoyed poetry, both reading the poetry of others as well as writing poetry of her own. And while perhaps not as artistic, she also loved the Cubs!

Most of all, Bernice loved being a wife to Harry, a Mother to Diana, Patti, Cathy, Tom and Brad, a grandmother to Jamie, Jason, Andrew, Jeremy, Sarah, Matt, Blake and Greg, and a great grandmother to Gage, Loren, Noah and Ava. She was extremely proud of all of her children and their spouses, her grandchildren and great grandchildren. All of them can attest to her culinary expertise, especially her renown for baking pies. Name a fruit pie, she could make it; name a cream pie, she could make it; pecan pie, yes, that kind too, all with her unmatched, made from scratch, pie crust! And, at Christmas time, with each of her grandchildren she shared the wonder of a special snow globe from her collection.

Whether playing cards with her own family, regularly attending card parties with her many friends, or playing bingo with her Good Sam friends, or reliving their many family camping trips (yes, card playing, too, with other campers at their Mendon camp site!), Bernice was special and will be missed.

Funeral Services: Monday, December 22, 2014, at 9:45 A.M., at the Duker and Haugh Funeral Home, and at 10:30 A.M., at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church by the Rev. Tom Hagstrom. Burial will be in the St. Anthony of Padua Cemetery.

Visitation: Sunday, December 21, 2014, from 3:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M. at the funeral home. The family and friends will recite the rosary at the conclusion of the visitation.

Memorials: In lieu of flowers, ornamentals or statuary, memorials may be made to the Arthritis Foundation, 1415 Vermont Street, Quincy, Illinois 62301, the Catholic Youth Organization (“CYO”), 700 Broadway, Quincy, Illinois 62301, the Central Illinois Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, 639 York Street, Quincy, Illinois 62301, and the St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church, 2223 St. Anthony Road, Quincy, Illinois 62301.