Deanna Lynn (White) Phillips was born September 13, 1961 to Kenneth and Wanda Emogene (Shatwell) White in Clarksville, AR. She went to be with our Father in Heaven on August 16, 2022 at Baptist Hospital in Fort Smith, AR.
Growing up, Deanna was a “daddy’s girl” through and through. Nothing made her happier than being his co-pilot when making lumber deliveries. She also loved going to her grandparents’ house in the country, playing with her cousins, fishing, and spending the night with her Aunt Niece. She even carried on some of these traditions after she was grown, with her own children in-tow.
Deanna wore many hats throughout her life. Many knew her from her time working at The Loft, the snack bar and accounting office at Walmart, and her time spent teaching at New Life Christian Academy. She had aspirations of becoming a nurse but, unfortunately, that wasn’t exactly God’s plan so she went on to obtain certification in medical transcription.
Deanna had a profound love for music but, more specifically Randy Travis and Michael Jackson. There was something very special for her about taking road trips with her husband and kids on the weekend with the music up and the windows down. Above everything, Deanna LOVED her family. Cookouts, late nights playing dominoes, Yahtzee, and cards, scary movie nights, or just sitting on the porch and talking were her lifeline.
She is preceded in death by her father, Kenneth. She is survived by her mother, Wanda Emogene, and her two sisters, Missy (Troy) Engleman of Sayre, OK and Jeanne Clayborn of Clarksville. She will be sorely missed by her loving husband and co-pilot, Tommy Phillips, her children, Derek (Arizona) Rinke, Jessie (Jim) Ward, and Lindsey (Damien) Phillips. Also missing their Nana are her eight grandchildren, Michael Ward, Emily Evans, Madison Ward, Alexis Ward, Christian Rinke, Kennedy Phillips, Emorie Phillips, and Lukas Wheelis and one great-granddaughter, Leia Ward.
The family would like to extend their tremendous gratitude to all of the outstanding staff at Johnson Regional Medical Center, Baptist Health Fort Smith ICU, Select Specialty Hospital, and Heart of Hospice.
Services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Monday August 29, 2022 at Hardwicke Funeral Home Chapel in Clarksville, AR with family friend Nancy Hill speaking.