Phyllis Gibson Church

Princeton, WV- Phyllis Gibson Church, 89, passed away from an apparent heart attack at Glenwood Park Retirement Village in Princeton on Wednesday, April 18, 2018, where she had been a resident of Assisted Living since February 2017. She was formerly of Bluefield, WV, having moved from Iaeger, WV in 1964. Born December 23, 1928 in Iaeger, WV, she was a daughter of the late Hilo Lewis (H.L.) Gibson and Lake Beverly Lane Gibson. Phyllis lost her Father as a result of an accident when she was 13 years old. To help provide for the family she started working, after school, at the local drug store in Iaeger. She graduated from Iaeger High School in 1948 and soon after became the bookkeeper at Southern Furniture in Iaeger. Phyllis married her soul mate, Bill Church, on February 7, 1953; after the birth of their first child, Karen, Phyllis became a stay at home Mom and homemaker. After relocating to Bluefield, WV in 1964, she started attending and soon became a long standing member of Cumberland Heights Baptist Church where she served in the nursery and prayer chain committee for many years. Phyllis was very involved in her children's education and their activities; she was a Homeroom Mother chairman and had received the PTA Life Membership award. After her beloved husband's sudden passing, she enjoyed attending senior trips with the church, Red Hat luncheons and functions at Senior Friends and at the Commission on Aging, where she was affectionately known as Miss Daisy. Phyllis was diagnosed with the beginning stages of Alzheimer's 16 1/2 years ago at The University of California; she stated that complications from Alzheimer's might eventually take her, but she wasn't going down without a fight. She participated in an Alzheimer's study at Wake Forrest Baptist Medical Center in Winston Salem so that it would benefit others with the disease. Phyllis had a very positive attitude even with the struggles she encountered over the years. She was known for always saying "I just thank the good Lord that I can walk and talk and see and hear" and "we just have to keep on keeping on". Although she had been living with an Alzheimer's diagnosis, it was heart disease that took her life. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband William E. (Bill) Church (1997); daughter, Karen Church Seay (1980); sisters, Esther Lane Helton and Beatrice (Bee) Lane Higginbotham, a brother, Shirley Lee Lane and niece, Lou Etta Lane Belcher. She is survived by her loving and devoted son, W. David Church of Bluefield, VA and a nephew, Gordon Lee Lane. Special thanks go to the caring staff of Glenwood Park Retirement Village, Dr. Domingo Javier, Dr. Franklin Watkins of Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center and the many caregivers that provided care when she was living at home. A service celebrating the life of Phyllis Gibson Church will be conducted on Monday April 23, 2018 from the Mercer Funeral Home Chapel at 2:00 p.m. with Pastor J. H. Kestner officiating. The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Monday from 1:00 p.m. until the service hour. Burial will follow at Roselawn Memorial Gardens in Princeton, WV. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions, if desired, may be made to the Alzheimer's Association or the American Heart Association. Those wishing to share memories or condolence messages with the family may do so by visiting www.MercerFuneralHome.com Mercer Funeral Home of Bluefield is serving family of Mrs. Phyllis Gibson Church.

Phyllis Gibson Church

December 23, 1928 - April 18, 2018