Jephrey Ann Phipps Hubener

Jephrey Ann Phipps Hubener, the belle of the ball, died on March 16, 2019. She was 75. Born in North Little Rock, she moved to Little Rock in the 1980s and was a proud Arkansan her entire life. The only child of doting parents, she was so special that her mother created the name Jephrey with its unique spelling, just for her. Jephrey, the daughter of an army surgeon, fondly remembered the "special connection" who provided the classified information that her father's Army train would pass through North Little Rock en route to World War II in Europe - allowing her to wave at him from a bridge as the train passed by. She excelled at piano as a child and carried this skill far into her adulthood. From cheerleading to the Memphis Cotton Carnival to her beloved Chi Omega sorority, she delighted in social events that gave outlet to her vivacity. Jephrey was also whip-smart and enormously proud of the Phi Beta Kappa membership she earned at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. She had a Masters in Arts from the University of Virginia, where she cultivated her life-long love of reading. As a stalwart Razorback fan, her children knew not to call her when a football or basketball game was on the television, lest they interrupt the distracted and screaming former cheerleader who wouldn't leave her pom poms behind. Jephrey devoted her life to making a beautiful and loving home for her two children, teaching them to eat their vegetables and never to wear white shoes after Labor Day, and making sure they had every advantage she could give them. She cared for countless dogs and even found herself an unwilling cat lover. She had an impressive degree of comfort with wild animals, which she took to various classrooms around the city as a Junior League volunteer teaching young kids about wildlife native to Arkansas. She loved Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, her church home, deeply. So deeply that she even served as treasurer for its Episcopal Church Women's group one year. Given what she called her "lack of suitability" for this role, she was both surprised by and proud of her tenure for many years to come. If sheer determination alone could keep a person alive, Jephrey Hubener would have lived forever. She powered through multiple sclerosis for many years. Sadly, her willpower was not enough to conquer the challenges she faced at the end of her life. Survivors include a family she shared with her former spouse, David Graham Hubener. Her son Chris, his wife Brandy, and their children Ella and Briggs live in Little Rock, Ark. Her daughter Erin, her husband Mike, and their children Sophie and Livia live in Austin, Texas. She was preceded in death by her parents, Woodrow Elmer and Ann Oneida Morris Phipps. Her death will leave a gaping hole in the lives of her children and grandchildren. The funeral will be held on Saturday March 30, 2019 at 11 a.m. in Trinity Episcopal Cathedral. Interment will be held in Treadway Garden followed by a reception. In lieu of flowers please make donations to Trinity Episcopal Cathedral. Arrangements are under the direction of Ruebel Funeral Home, www.ruebelfuneralhome.com.