Obituary for Lorinda "Lori" Stillwell Phillips
Lorinda Clare Stillwell was born March 15, 1972, in Baytown, TX, to Ralph and Billie Stillwell. She passed from this life on May 25, 2017, in Alexandria, LA. Growing up, she lived in Baytown, Vidor, and Sulphur. She spent her 7th through 9th grades in Yanbu, Saudi Arabia. While living overseas, she was able to travel to many places in Europe, Africa, China, and Japan. She basically made a trip around the world. She returned to Vidor with her family in 1987 and entered Vidor High School. In May 1989, she was injured in a tragic automobile accident and was forced to endure many months of surgeries to recover before returning to Vidor High School where she graduated in 1990. She then attended Lamar University for 2 years before transferring to Texas A&M where she graduated in 1994 with a B.S. in Sociology.
She began her teaching career in her hometown at Vidor High School where she taught for Special Education for several years. During the summers, she worked on her Master's Degree at Southwest Texas State University and graduated in 1988.
She then moved to the Dallas area to work on a PhD at the University of North Texas. While working on the doctorate, she taught at a local middle school, Tarrant County Community College, and Tartleton State University in Stephenville, TX.
In the Fall of 2006, she moved to the Slagle area near her parents and continued teaching and working on her doctorate. Over the next few years, she taught at various Vernon Parish schools, including Pitkin, Evans, Anacoco, and Pickering. After graduating with her PhD, she also managed to complete a Master's in School Counseling from the University of West Alabama. Lori then became the Counselor at the Simpson School, a school where her mother, aunt, uncles, and cousins had attended. While working at Simpson, a high school classmate, Marvin Phillips, came back into her life.
They were married on September 19, 2010, in Las Vegas by an Elvis impersonator driving them in a pink cadillac. She moved with him to Ras Tanura, Saudi Arabia, leaving her precious puppy with her parents. Her husband worked in Ras Tanura and Riyadh where she lived the majority of the time. They travelled to many European and Middle East countries over the years, and she took a Transatlantic Cruise on one of her trips back to the US.
She was initially diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008 and completed all medical treatment and follow-ups. Unfortunately, the disease returned in 2015 as Stage IV Metastatic Breast Cancer which is incurable. She went through chemo treatments and travelled to Saudi Arabia to visit Marvin when her health permitted. After 2 years, the treatments ceased to work.
She loved participating in the Relay for Life, where she was crowned the Vernon Parish Relay for Life Survivor Queen in 2016 and 2017. She was adamant in her pursuit to educate as many as possible about the horrible Metastatic Breast Cancer disease and the need for more funds and research dedicated to erasing/controlling this disease. She recently raised monies and attended a Metavivor Metsquarade Ball in Northwest Arkansas designed to fund research for this dreaded disease.
Lori managed to accomplish so much during her short life and never gave up. She was always optimistic with plans for the future. She was always ready to offer advice and try new things. She loved anything blue, sparkly, shiny, or gaudy. She was unique and a joy to her entire family and friends.
She loved teaching, her students, and co-workers. She enjoyed the many trips and cruises and the time spent with her step-children. She travelled with cousins to several locations in the US, and she especially enjoyed her recent cruise with her cousin, Lois. The joys of her life were her step-children and nephew and niece. She had a special bond with her only sister Deanna, but she loved all her aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, and friends. And of course, the loves of her life---her beloved husband, Marvin, and her precious puppy, Kiki.
Lori is survived by her husband, Marvin Phillips of Saudi Arabia; the children of her heart, Bailey, Morgan, and Kyle Phillips of Mont Belvieu, TX; her parents, Ralph and Billie Stillwell of Slagle, LA; her sister, Deanna and her husband Trey Guidry of Cleveland, TX; her precious nephew and niece, Luke and Piper Guidry; her grandfather, Wilson B. Stillwell of Vidor, TX; and numerous family and friends.
The family wishes that in lieu of flowers, a donation be made to Metavivor, Inc. This can be done online at www.metalori.org or by check to the following address:
Metavivor, Inc.
1783 Forest Dr. #184
Annapolis, MD 21401
Donations can also be made to Walnut Hill Cemetery Association:
PO BOX 187
Slagle, LA 71475
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She began her teaching career in her hometown at Vidor High School where she taught for Special Education for several years. During the summers, she worked on her Master's Degree at Southwest Texas State University and graduated in 1988.
She then moved to the Dallas area to work on a PhD at the University of North Texas. While working on the doctorate, she taught at a local middle school, Tarrant County Community College, and Tartleton State University in Stephenville, TX.
In the Fall of 2006, she moved to the Slagle area near her parents and continued teaching and working on her doctorate. Over the next few years, she taught at various Vernon Parish schools, including Pitkin, Evans, Anacoco, and Pickering. After graduating with her PhD, she also managed to complete a Master's in School Counseling from the University of West Alabama. Lori then became the Counselor at the Simpson School, a school where her mother, aunt, uncles, and cousins had attended. While working at Simpson, a high school classmate, Marvin Phillips, came back into her life.
They were married on September 19, 2010, in Las Vegas by an Elvis impersonator driving them in a pink cadillac. She moved with him to Ras Tanura, Saudi Arabia, leaving her precious puppy with her parents. Her husband worked in Ras Tanura and Riyadh where she lived the majority of the time. They travelled to many European and Middle East countries over the years, and she took a Transatlantic Cruise on one of her trips back to the US.
She was initially diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008 and completed all medical treatment and follow-ups. Unfortunately, the disease returned in 2015 as Stage IV Metastatic Breast Cancer which is incurable. She went through chemo treatments and travelled to Saudi Arabia to visit Marvin when her health permitted. After 2 years, the treatments ceased to work.
She loved participating in the Relay for Life, where she was crowned the Vernon Parish Relay for Life Survivor Queen in 2016 and 2017. She was adamant in her pursuit to educate as many as possible about the horrible Metastatic Breast Cancer disease and the need for more funds and research dedicated to erasing/controlling this disease. She recently raised monies and attended a Metavivor Metsquarade Ball in Northwest Arkansas designed to fund research for this dreaded disease.
Lori managed to accomplish so much during her short life and never gave up. She was always optimistic with plans for the future. She was always ready to offer advice and try new things. She loved anything blue, sparkly, shiny, or gaudy. She was unique and a joy to her entire family and friends.
She loved teaching, her students, and co-workers. She enjoyed the many trips and cruises and the time spent with her step-children. She travelled with cousins to several locations in the US, and she especially enjoyed her recent cruise with her cousin, Lois. The joys of her life were her step-children and nephew and niece. She had a special bond with her only sister Deanna, but she loved all her aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, and friends. And of course, the loves of her life---her beloved husband, Marvin, and her precious puppy, Kiki.
Lori is survived by her husband, Marvin Phillips of Saudi Arabia; the children of her heart, Bailey, Morgan, and Kyle Phillips of Mont Belvieu, TX; her parents, Ralph and Billie Stillwell of Slagle, LA; her sister, Deanna and her husband Trey Guidry of Cleveland, TX; her precious nephew and niece, Luke and Piper Guidry; her grandfather, Wilson B. Stillwell of Vidor, TX; and numerous family and friends.
The family wishes that in lieu of flowers, a donation be made to Metavivor, Inc. This can be done online at www.metalori.org or by check to the following address:
Metavivor, Inc.
1783 Forest Dr. #184
Annapolis, MD 21401
Donations can also be made to Walnut Hill Cemetery Association:
PO BOX 187
Slagle, LA 71475
To plant a tree in memory of Lorinda "Lori" Stillwell Phillips, visit the Tribute Store.
Previous Events
Visitation
Monday
29
May
11:00 AM
- 2:30 PM
Castor Baptist Church
2057 Slagle Road
Leesville, LA 71446
Graveside
Monday
29
May
3:15 PM
Walnut Hill Cemetery
156 Walnut Hill Road
Leesville, LA 71446
Cemetery Details
Location
Walnut Hill Cemetery
156 Walnut Hill Road
Leesville, LA 71446
Memorial Contribution
Metavivor
In lieu of flowers, friends and family may donate to the Metavivor organization to honor Lori's fight with cancer. This organization donates money to fund research for metastatic breast cancer. The website address is www.metalori.org.
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