Gemina Phillips' Obituary
Beloved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother Gemina Jane Rhodes Phillips died November 4, 2014 at the age of 87. Spirited and full of life to the very end, Gemina left this world as she lived it – on her own terms.
Born the youngest of eight children to William and Julia (Ellis) Rhodes on May 16, 1927 in Copperhill, TN, Gemina spent her childhood in Fannin County, GA. Gemina loved to tell stories about her first job at the Norris Candy Company, a job that led to her lifelong love of sweets, especially Oreos and Honeybuns.
Gemina moved to East Point, GA in the early 1940s where she raised three sons and worked for 22 years at South Fulton Hospital as a laundry clerk. Gemina spent her life caring for her family and living life to the fullest, whether relaxing with her favorite Danielle Steele novel or taking a weekend trip to Biloxi to play the slots, Gemina did not let grass grow under her feet. She faced countless challenges in her life – ones that would be insurmountable to others – but to Gemina, she just kept on living.
Gemina is survived by two sons, Danny "JD" Phillips and his wife Steffanie of Atlanta, GA and Michael Phillips and his wife Janice of Lithia Springs, GA; grandchildren Benjamin (Allison) Austin, Jennifer (Xristos) Kirou, Jason (Shannon) Austin, Brandi Nanan, Jamie Brady and Michael Phillips; great-grandchildren, Abigail, Anna Kate, Stephanie, Summer, Branden, Alissa and Brooke; and a very special “daughter” Julie Pearson. She was predeceased in death by her son William “Jerome” Austin in 2006.
There will be no funeral services and family requests that you remember Gemina with a smile on your face and her favorite bit of wisdom, “ain’t nothing pretty about getting old; you can’t hear… you can’t see... nothing pretty!” But to her family, she was always beautiful.
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