Juanita Phillips

Juanita Phillips, age 79 years, of Niles, Michigan died at 6:40 p.m. on Tuesday, November 12, 2013 at her home following an extended illness.

She was born on March 13, 1934 in Niles to Albert and Grace (Brubaker) Schrader. She was graduated from Niles High School, and lived here all of her life. She was employed for many years by Niles Community Schools as the secretary at the former Central Elementary School, and later assisted her husband at the Farm Bureau Agency in Cassopolis, Michigan.
Juanita was a member of the First Baptist Church of Niles, and was very active “behind the scenes” especially with interior decorating. She enjoyed traveling including several international destinations, and quilting, sewing, painting in all media, flower gardening, and watching and feeding the wildlife in her yard. Her greatest interest was her family, who she loved.

On August 30, 1952 in her parents’ yard she married Lodner C. Phillips with whom she celebrated the sixtieth anniversary just months prior to his death earlier this year on January 23, 2013.

Surviving family includes their children, Vicki (& Mick) Kidwell of Niles and Patrick (& Jody) Phillips of Edwardsburg, Michigan; grandchildren Michael P. (& Kellie) Kidwell, Adam (& Hannah) Kidwell, Kyle Kidwell, Ryan P. (& Karen) Phillips, Julianne Phillips, and Alexandra Phillips; great-grandchildren Raegan Joanne Kidwell, Cameron Michael Kidwell, and Sydney Rose Kidwell; and Juanita’s sisters, Edith Snyder and Emma Jean Schrumpf, both of Niles, and brother, Robert (& Dixie) Schrader of South Bend, Indiana; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, and by brothers Lawrence, Peter, and Richard Schrader and sister, Virginia Stover.

The funeral service for Juanita Phillips will be at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, November 16, 2013 at the First Baptist Church with Pastor Jim Wing of the church officiating. Committal will follow at Silverbrook Cemetery in Niles.

The family will receive relatives and friends on Friday from 2:00 until 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 until 8:00 p.m. at the Halbritter Funeral Home in Niles. Contributions in memory of Juanita may be made to the First Baptist Church, or to the Berrien County Cancer Service.

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