Mildred Thiesfield

Mildred Francile Callaway Phillips Thiesfeld, 94, went to sing in God's Heavenly Choir on the Thursday, February 16, 2012 surrounded by loving family and her Pastor. Mildred was born on January 28, 1918 in Hollywood, Arkansas to parents, William A. Callaway and Ada Francis Callaway. At the age of five her mother died and two years later her father married, Ethel Collins Sparks when Mildred was seven years old. She grew up in a family of nine children in a loving Christian home. Early on she realized that she was blessed with a wonderful gift from God and that was a beautiful clear soprano voice. She sang hymns and gospel songs all of her life in church choirs and most notably in the Phillips Cash Gospel Quartet which sang all over the country and had a weekly radio program for many years. They were in great demand to sing for funeral as well. Mildred was an avid golfer and played into her eighties. She had a hole in one to her credit. She was a very competitive person and loved to play Amtrak and other domino games. She was very active in the Eastern Star and she eventually served as the Grand Worthy Matron for the state of Arkansas. Mildred married Murphy H. Phillips in 1935. That marriage lasted until his death in 1990. In 1991 she married Harry W. Thiesfeld and that marriage ended with his death in 2004. Mildred was a wonderful homemaker and loved to garden, sew and was a great cook. She never met a stranger and during her marriage to Harry she traveled to a great many places in the world such as China, Russia and much of Europe, Australia, Figi, Tahiti and Alaska. She leaves behind to cherish her wonderful memory two daughters, Ada Short (Bob) of Bourne, Texas and Gloria Coats (David) of Cherryvale, Kan.; four stepsons, Lee Thiesfeld (Estelle) of Australia, Lloyd Thiesfeld (Barbara) of Southfork, Colo., Charles Thiesfeld (Jody) of Minnesota, Roger Thiesfeld (Robin) of Stafford, Va.; 15 grandchildren; 24 great-grandchildren; one brother, Bill Callaway of Arkadelphia, Ark.; one sister, Betty Callaway Regner of Harlingen, Texas, and by numerous nieces and nephews. There will be a memorial service 2 p.m., Wednesday, February 22, 2012, at the Ruggles-Wilcox Funeral Chapel, with the Rev. Dr. Leland Callaway officiating. A visitation will be from 1 p.m. until service time the day of the service. Burial will be in Rest Haven Memorial Gardens. The family wishes to thank Dr. Luis Reynoso who took such good care of her for many years an the nurses and staff at Retama Manor Nursing home in Harlingen, who have taken care of her for the last four years. You are all angels in disguise You are invited to sign the guestbook at www.ruggleswilcox.com.