Gwendolyn Phillips

GWENDOLYN PHILLIPS was born on March 26, 1948 in Birmingham, Alabama to the late Lemmon and Minnie Williams.  She was the youngest of four children.  The family moved to San Diego when she was just 3 months old. Gwen, as she was affectionately called, accepted Christ at an early age and was a faithful member of the Greater Trinity Missionary Baptist Church, under the pastoral leadership of Reverend W. L. Gayton, Reverend George Washington, Reverend Clyde E. Gaines, Sr. and Reverend Clyde E. Gaines, II. 

She attended Lincoln High School and was a “Hornet for Life”.  After high school she attended San Diego City College and served for three years in the United States Navy Reserves. Gwen began her career with the County of San Diego and later retired from the San Diego Municipal Employees Association as a Union Representative. She loved fighting for the underdog and being the voice of reason.

Gwen had two children, Tracey Lynn and Robert Clay Lemmon, who she devoted her life to raising. To know her was to love her. She loved and accepted everyone, family and friends alike, so much so, she was lovingly called Mom, Mama G, and Grandma by the friends of her children and grandchildren. Gwen loved supporting her family and could be found attending numerous events her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren were involved in. If you invited her somewhere, she would show up because she felt it a blessing to be included. She enjoyed spending time with family, traveling and being involved with the San Diego African American Alumni Association, where she served as an officer.

Gwen was a loving mother dear, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt, cousin and friend.  No matter where life directed her path, she always kept the faith and her trust in God. She instilled in her children the power of prayer and considered each day a blessing.

Early on Tuesday morning, September 17, 2019, God opened the “Book of Life”, accepted her Heavenly application, and ushered her to her new home over in Glory. Although our hearts are broken and we may not understand why, we do know that she now rests in the bosom of our Heavenly Father and will be another Angel watching over us in our daily journey.

Gwen was preceded in death by her father Lemmon Williams, mother Minnie Williams, brother Lemmon Williams, Jr., and niece Felicia Baxter. She is survived by her daughter Tracey Gary (Stephen), son Robert Phillips, Sr. (Luretha); grandsons: Kellen Washington (Monique), Keith Phillips (Mary Kay), Kevin Phillips, Robert Phillips II, Drake Phillips, and Rashad Holloway; granddaughters: Sherridan Phillips and Damunique Holloway; great-grandchildren: Kai’Yani Washington, Khalil Phillips, Minah Phillips, Melanie Slocum, Eve Beltran and Elijah Beltran; sister Stella Baxter (Robert) and brother Clarence Williams (Ida). She also leaves a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends to cherish her memory.

Her earthly presence and beautiful smile will truly be missed in our lives, but she

Will live on in our hearts and we shall be blessed with precious memories forever.

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