Susan D. Phillips

Susan D. Phillips died at 4:30 p.m. on February 28, 2015, under the wonderful care of Circle of Life Hospice at Legacy Village in Bentonville, Arkansas fighting to the very end. Born on February 1, 1951 in Wichita Fall, Texas, Susan Nunez spent her early years first in Texas, then Alaska and finally settling in San Diego, California where she grew up and built many lasting relationships. San Diego is where Susan met her husband of 27 years, Terry Phillips, where they worked in the same law firm. Susan spent almost 30 years in the field of law working with firms in the San Diego area and then moved with her husband to Bentonville where she worked for different law offices before landing a job with the Benton County Circuit Clerk's office where she worked in nearly every department they had until illness forced her retirement in April of 2014. Susan was always the best at anything she did which for her job with Benton County government was personified in the license plate frame on her car which reads "Pride, Perfection and Public Service." A few days after her 26th wedding anniversary in December of 2013, Susan was diagnosed with Stage 4 Colon cancer which had metastasized to her left lung and her brain. The tumor in her brain was removed first, and a section of her colon next, but the tumors in her lung were considered inoperable. Never doubting for a minute her commitment to life, Susan began first radiation therapy and then long range chemo therapy to attack this disease. While the chemo therapy was successful on the lung, the tumor in her brain re-emerged. Even with a terminal diagnosis facing her, she refused to give up and consented to a second very risky operation to try and remove as much of the second brain tumor as they could. For the weeks before the surgery, she insisted on getting out almost every day to try as many of the wonderful restaurants as she could in Bentonville and the surrounding areas, even though she was then confined to a wheel chair. She lived her life to the max and will stand as an inspiration to every person who was lucky enough to know her. Susan is survived by her loving husband, sons, Cameron and Trevor, daughter, Kristen, and granddaughters, Elizabeth and Lydia. She is also being mourned by her mother, Gloria from San Diego, along with four brothers, one sister, two brothers-in-law, a bunch of sisters-in-law, a truck load of nephews, nieces, quasi-cousins, and a whole passel of friends and extended family members who will feel the loss of her love and friendship forever. In lieu of flowers or other nice but unnecessary tributes, donations in Susan's memory may be made to Circle of Life Hospice of NWA who provided spectacular support for Susan and her husband through the end. A celebration of the life of Susan Phillips will be held at the family home at 7 Shelly Lane, Bella Vista, Ark. 72714 on Saturday, March 14th, beginning at noon and continuing until the food runs out or Lydia's performance at the Pressroom begins, whichever comes first. All are welcome.