Andrea Phillips

Deaconess Andrea Josephine Phillips was born to the proud parents of Bro. Andrew George Person and Sis. Barbara Gertha Person on June 10, 1950 at Holy Family Hospital in Birmingham, Alabama. She is the first child of six siblings. Her mother brought her up to Chicago to live in 1955 during the Great Migration, so that she can have much better opportunities. She accepted Jesus as her personal savior at a very young age and was baptized at Pilgrim Rest M.B. Church, under the leadership of Pastor Mathew Thomas. Deaconess Andrea Phillips attended Birney Elementary and McKinley Grammar School. She later attended Crane High School for 2 years and graduated from Roosevelt High School. She went on to further her education at Olive Harvey College. Initially, she was going for Nursing, taking basic studies and Pharmacology classes and eventually became a Certified Nurse Assistant. As a child, she always wanted to become a Doctor. People would always talk to her about their illness & sickness everywhere she would go. Overall, she just wanted to make people feel better. She always wanted to take French in School and she wanted to fly to Paris. She loved going places all the time. Deaconess Andrea Phillips worked at Allied as a Filing Clerk and at the Main Post Office located in Downtown Chicago. She later worked at Common Manners Nursing Home. She got hired at Mount Sinai Hospital (32 applied and only 16 got hired). She went through training for a couple of months as a Nursing Assistant. Her first choice was to work with the newborn babies in the (OB) Obstetrics Department and her second choice was the Pediatrics Unit. Her wish was granted, they decided to hire her to work in the Pediatrics Unit where she worked for 13 years until she was laid off in 1983. Years later she worked at Millers Nursing Home and became a School Bus Driver. Mount Sinai hired her back in 1990 to work in the Physical Therapy Department as a Transporter. She was so happy because she was able to have weekends off, so that she could attend church on Sundays. She worked in the Physical Therapy Department until she became ill. Deaconess Andrea Phillips served on several ministries while attending Pilgrim Rest M.B. Church. She was on the Mission Ministry (Feeding & Clothing the homeless) for many years. She was a Sunday School Teacher for the children class. She worked in the Coat Room as a courtesy to members that didn’t want to sit with their coats for the duration of service. She sang in the Inspirational and Gospel Choir. She was the Leader of the Sick & Shut In Ministry and the Weekly Prayer Line Service via phone on Wednesdays. She attended Weekly Bible Study on Mondays via phone and she was on the Prayer Line with Walt Whitman and the Soul Children of Chicago every morning, consistently for the last 2 years at 6:00am. She was apart of the Union District and the Baptist State Convention for many years. During the Pandemic, she was still able to attend via Zoom. She started out working as a Chaperone with Walt Whitman & The Soul Children of Chicago in 1983. She was definitely a Prayer Warrior, Bible Reader, and a Woman of God. On June 25, 2025 at 2:02pm, Deaconess Andrea Phillips answered the call from the Lord as he took her home. She is now with her other family members who has departed this life. Her grandparents Min. Charlie B. Johnson and Sis. Gertha Johnson; after she passed her step-Grandmother, Sis. Louise Johnson. Henry Person and Sallie Person; parents, Bro. Andrew Person and Sis. Barbara Person. Her great- great Aunt., Sis. Haddie Power Williams; Uncles, Bro Felix Talison (Ada), Johnny Talison (Paralee), Willie B. Talison; nephew Bernard and Alexander Jackson II; nieces, Cassandra Jiles, Jennifer Jiles, Dedra Delrese, and Barbara Jackson. Deaconess Andrea Phillips leaves to cherish her memories: daughters, Sheresa Phillips- Johnson and Tynesha Phillips; grandchildren, Tyrese Johnson, Timiya Johnson, and Treyvion Johnson, great - grandchildren, Aaliyah Johnson, Harmonii Johnson, and Jaycion Johnson, sister, Brenda Jackson; brother, Bernard Phillips; niece, Alexandria Jackson, nephews, Frederick Harns, Herman Jiles, Jerry Person, Alexander Jackson Jr, Albert Jackson and a host of great nephews and great nieces, cousins, other family members and friends.

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