Lucia Cary Phillips

Mrs. Lucia Cary Gardner Phillips, age 89, of Covington, died Monday, May 22, 2023, at her residence. She was the wife of Robert Carroll Phillips.
Mrs. Phillips was born April 19, 1934 in Clover Lick, WV, the daughter of the late William Cazenove Gardner and Catherine Cocke Gardner. A 1952 graduate of Towson High School in Towson, MD, Cary also graduated from the Preparatory School of the Peabody Conservatory of Music in Baltimore and earned an associate degree in business from Dabney S. Lancaster Community College. A resident of this community since 1956, Mrs. Phillips was employed by the Alleghany Soil Conservation Service for a number of years, and before that at Westvaco and the Greenbrier. Cary was a member of Emmanuel Episcopal Church where she served her church as a member and former president of the Episcopal Church Women, a church organist, the parish vestry, and as a member of the Order of the Daughters of the King. Mrs. Phillips also enjoyed being a volunteer for the local Meals On Wheels program. Having grown up on a farm, she was fond of animals, nature and music.
ln addition to her husband, Mrs. Phillips is survived by two daughters, Catherine P. Rubin and husband, Robert of Fuquay-Varina, NC and Elisabeth P. Taylor and husband Jonathan of Rochester Hills, MI; two grandchildren; four great grandchildren; and a number of nieces and nephews.
ln addition to her parents, Mrs. Phillips was preceded in death by three brothers, Edmund Gardner, William C. Gardner and Harrison Gardner and one sister, Harriet G. Meadows.
A funeral service will be conducted at 10:30 A.M. Friday, May 26, 2023, at Emmanuel Episcopal Church with the Rev. Katherine Doyle officiating and the Rev. Roger Baroody assisting. lnterment will follow in Alleghany Memorial Park.
Pallbearers will be Kevin Cole, Craig Madison, Robert Rubin, Jonathan Taylor, Dan Gardner, Caleb Taylor, Allen Downey, and Ryland Burchette.
The family will receive friends Thursday evening from 7:00 P.M. until 8:30 P.M. at Loving Funeral Home.
The family suggests that in lieu of flowers, memorial tributes take the form of contributions to Emmanuel Episcopal Church, 136 N. Maple Avenue, Covington, VA 24426.
Arrangements are being handled by Loving Funeral Home; to view Mrs. Phillips's memorial tribute page, please visit www.lovingfuneralhome1913.com.

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Photo credit: Carol Nichoson