Nancy Phillips

Nancy Gail Phillips, the oldest of the two girls of Frank and Mary Britt Phillips, was born in Washington D.C. and reared in Los Angeles, California. She attended Audubon Junior HighSchool and Beverly Hills High School where she was a track star. She was a journalism major at University of California Santa Cruz where she excelled academically. She continued her education at the University of California Hastings College of Law receiving a juris doctorate. After completing law school Nancy taught law studies at a community college while studying for the California Bar Exam. In 1982 she was admitted as Attorney and Counselor at Law by the Supreme Court of theState of California and started a law practice specializing in Criminal, Bankruptcy and Family law.

Nancy married David Perry, Sr. and this union produced one son Phillip Edward Perry in 1986.

Nancy was well known and respected in the legal community and she was honored to be selected to preside in court as a temporary judge on numerous occasions. Nancy’s career path was varied, but she found her calling as a Substance Abuse Specialist for the Superior Court of theCounty of Alameda where she gave legal counsel and advice to people charged with various substance abuse crimes from 2008 through 2012. She found satisfaction in this work and latermoved on to focus on her health as she battled and survived her first encounter with breast cancer.

Nancy decided to return home to her family in Los Angeles after her health challenge for a fresh start and was eventually called again to help others struggling with addiction as a substance abuse counselor for the Phoenix House from 2014 through 2019. Nancy’s service to others was, again,unexpectedly cut short by a second battle with breast cancer.

Nancy had a powerful testimony and was quite humbled to stand and lead with others in recovery. Even as she worked through her own struggles, she inspired and mentored others. She became a Certified Addiction Counselor, a Certified Alcoholism and Other Drug Addictions Recovery Specialist and earned special recognition for “being supportive, empowering and encouraging” to those in addiction recovery.

Nancy accepted God as her savior and was a dedicated prayer warrior with great faith. She often shared scriptures and would purchase the book Handle with Prayer in bulk to give away tothose in need of spiritual fortification. She was an active member and supporter of The Congregational Church of Christian Fellowship.

After seventeen years apart, Nancy was happily reunited with her loving and very much loved fiancé Linda Howard who she planned to marry within the year. She was content to be retired and spend time doing the things she enjoyed with the people she loved. A funny and fun-loving person with many talents and a big heart Nancy was also very creative and artistic. She loved drawing, writing and singing. She often would start singing loudly just for the joy of it. Speaking of joy, there was nothing that gave her more joy than spending time with her grandson Jaxson. She would sing to him and play some of her favorite songs for him, especially ABC by the Jackson 5. Her love forher grandson Jaxson lead her to write and publish a children’s book on Amazon featuring him called The Adventures of JaXxy Jax. She was so proud and excited about this accomplishment and looked forward to a bright future continuing the book series and spending precious time with her cherished Jaxson. She often commented that the inspiration to write her book series came to her from God. She wrote a special prayer that she frequently recited to Jaxson which she included in her book:God is all there is. I am one with God. It is done  as I believe, expect and I receive. Speak your word to LAW it will appear. Manifest your dreams child with no fear. Give thanks, give thanks. Release and let Go, and it is so.

Sadly Nancy did not survive her third battle with cancer. She is survived by her siblings Judie Phillips of California and Yvette Davis of Texas; her son Phillip Perry and grandson Jaxson Perry; her step-son David Perry Jr. and step-grandson Malik Morris; her fiancé Linda Howard and step-children Jazmyn Jefferson and Gemi Howard; and her step-grandchildren Christian Howard, Har’Moni Jackson and a host of other relatives, which she termed “cousins by the dozens,” and friends.