Ruth Sharpe Phillips

Mrs. Ruth Sharpe Phillips, 91, passed away on December 15, 2012 at Kate B. Reynolds Hospice Home in Forsyth County. A celebration of her life will be held 3:00 PM Tuesday, December 18, 2012 at Beulah United Church of Christ in Welcome with the Rev. Michael Hooper officiating. The family will receive friends from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. in the Church Fellowship Hall before the service and burial will follow in the Beulah Cemetery. Mrs. Phillips is survived by her daughters, Donna K. Tesh (G. W.) of Lexington and Barbara K. Adams (Chuck) of Hickory N.C. She is also survived by two sisters Nell S. Clifton (George) of Thomasville, NC and Mary Jo Tysinger of Chapel Hill, N.C. In addition to her daughters, she is survived by seven grandchildren and nine great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents Klutz and Ola Sharpe, her husband Stokes S. Koontz, her son Dalton K. Koontz and a sister, Rita S. Curry. She was born on March 26, 1921 to Overman Klutz Sharpe and Ola Arteal Hepler. Mrs. Phillips graduated from Lexington High School in 1938. After graduation she married Stokes S. Koontz and moved to Detroit, MI for a few years during WWII. They returned home to Welcome and settled down in their new home on Center Church Road. They raised their three children there and were faithful members of Beulah United Church of Christ. After the death of Stokes and after the children were married and off to college, Ruth went back to school and graduated from Ashmore Business College. She began working for Link-Taylor Young Hinkle in Lexington and retired from the company after 21 years. After retirement she enjoyed taking many trips and tours with her sisters, Nell, Rita and Mary Jo. Ruth enjoyed family time and cooking and shared many wonderful meals with the children, grandchildren and friends. She remarried Mr. Kenneth Phillips who also preceded her in death. His children are Dianne Phillips Campbell of Lexington, James Kenneth Phillips (Janie) of Clemmons, Michael Ira Phillips (Gail) of Winston-Salem and Joseph Farabee Phillips (Karin) of Charlotte. Ruth’s family would like to express their gratitude to the staff of Kate B. Reynolds Hospice Home of Forsyth County for their compassionate care of Ruth during her last days. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to Kate B. Reynolds Hospice Home, 101 Hospice Lane, Winston-Salem, NC 27103 or to Prime Timers of Beulah UCC, P. O. Box 846, Welcome, NC 27374