Emma Lou Phillips Anderson

Mrs. Emma Lou Phillips Anderson, 89, of Blytheville, passed from this life Thursday, Sept. 6, 2012, after a long illness, at St. Bernard's Regional Medical Center in Jonesboro.

She was born in Puxico, Mo., to Thomas Miller and Ruby Ollough Clubb Phillips. After early schooling in Puxico and Hayti, Mo., she moved to Blytheville at a young age and graduated from Blytheville High School with the class of 1941. In 1957, Emma married Frank R. Anderson in the Blytheville Air Force Base Chapel and they lived in many places around the United States and the world, including Guam, England, Japan and wherever his work as an American Red Cross Field Director took them

She was a retired Federal Civil Service employee, having served in various capacities at each of the military installations where her husband was posted. She retired at Eaker AFB in 1983 and accompanied her husband, who came out of retirement for a 3-year Red Cross service tour at US Army Headquarters Japan, at Camp Zama. She also came out of retirement in Japan, being rehired by the Department of Defense at US Army Depot, Sagamihara, in the specialized redistribution section, disposing of military heavy equipment and used and surplus materials to foreign nation buyers.

She returned to the United States in 1986 and located with her husband on the White River at Norfork for 5 years before moving back to Blytheville in 1991. In 1992, she served as a volunteer in the Red Cross office at Eaker AFB, helping her husband in managing the station closeout in the final days of the base itself.

Emma volunteered with the American Red Cross for 35 years in the United States, overseas, in hospitals and with the mobile blood drives. She had a lifelong hobby of fine art needlework and was a member of quilting clubs in Norfork and Blytheville. She won 12 blue ribbons and 3 best of shows for her quilts and crochet work at the Mississippi and Baxter County fairs. And she loved trout and bass fishing on Bull Shoals and Norfork Lakes.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a grandson, David Allen; and brothers, Bob Phillips, Louis Phillips, Jerry Phillips and Jackie Phillips.

She leaves to cherish her memory, her husband of 54 years, Frank R. Anderson of Blytheville;

Two daughters, Sara Anne VanderClute of Fayetteville, S.C., and Nancy Lee Allen of Fort Myers, Fla.;

A brother, J.W. Phillips of Oelwein, Iowa; and

Four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Graveside services will be held in Clubb Family Cemetery, Puxico, Mo., at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2012, with Mr. Billy Holifield officiating. In lieu of flowers, the family requests any memorials be made to: Alzheimer's Association, 201 Markham Center Drive, Little Rock, AR 72205-1409. Phone: 501-224-0021 or 800-689-6090; Fax: 501-227-6303.