Mary Phipps

In the late evening hours of Wednesday, September 2, 2020, Mary Lou Phipps took the hand of Jesus and went home to be with the Lord. She passed away at the age of 93 in the home of her daughter, Penny, surrounded by her daughters, several granddaughters, one great-granddaughter and countless other family members present remotely. Visitation will be Monday, September 7, from 4:00-6:00 pm at Brintlinger and Earl Funeral Home, 2827 N. Oakland Avenue in Decatur. Private family services will be held Tuesday. Interment will follow at Star of Hope Mausoleum. To honor Mary Lou’s unfailing dedication to her late husband, Lowell, memorials may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association Illinois Chapter, 8430 W. Bryn Mawr, Suite 800, Chicago, IL, 60631, or online at www.alz.org. After Lowell’s Alzheimer’s became too much for him to handle, Mary Lou picked up the torch and carried him through the years until his death in 2011. Mary Lou was born to Louis and Adelia Reutter, in their home in Berger, Missouri, on December 9, 1926. She grew up there and graduated from Hermann High School, later moving to St. Louis, where she met her soulmate and love of her life, Lowell Phipps. They were married July 10, 1948, and eventually settled in Decatur, Illinois, where they owned and operated Phipps Patterns, Inc. They had over 62 glorious years together! Mary Lou was a fantastic cook, continually feeding the masses in her home. Nobody ever went home hungry. In fact, most people left with full tummies, big smiles and containers of leftovers to enjoy later. As a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, she always made sure that no milestone ever went uncelebrated. She opened her heart, home and kitchen for every baptism, birthday, confirmation, graduation and holiday, completing her incredible meal with a professionally decorated sheetcake in the center of the table, along with engraved napkins and always a beautiful, meaningful card. She loved working with her garden and the flowers in her yard, as well as those she and Lowell planted to adorn the walkways of Woodland Chapel Presbyterian Church, which they attended and supported faithfully for many years. She was an avid reader, completing as many as six books a week in her later years. She had impeccable taste and set the bar higher than most people would ever care to go. Her integrity and grace were overshadowed only by her great love for her family. There is absolutely nothing she would not have done for any of us at anytime, anywhere, in any situation. No matter what, she had your back, and you knew it. Mary Lou is survived by her daughters Penny (Tom) Kotal and Tricia (David) Swartz; her daughter-in-law Patty Phipps; sister-in-law Sheila (Ben) Eschenfelder; 12 grandchildren, Emily (Jeff) Lattz, Ellen Rust, Dr. Eric (Jessica Garcia) Kotal, Jessica (Andre) Taylor, Laurel Phipps, Colton Phipps, Jessica (Ron) DuBord, Amber (Tony) Blum, Robert Ross, Ashley (Matt Hall) Caldwell, Lindsey (Todd) Cox and Brian (Brittany) Caldwell; 33 great-grandchildren Grace, Ryan, Faith, Jacob, Evelyn, Annalise, Addison, Kyler, Kaylin, Kiara, Jaxon, Haley, Ella, Brennan, Chase, Cooper, Peyton, Mallory, Aliyah, Alyssa, Nate, Gregg, Aiden, Thatcher, Reece, Calvin, Tanner, Madeline, Ainsley, Dawson, Weston, Mason and Greyson. Mary Lou was preceded in death by her devoted husband; her parents; brothers Harold Reutter and Douglas Reutter; son Gregg Phipps; daughter Mary Kay Phipps; infant daughters Mary Beth and Rebecca Phipps; granddaughter Amy Caldwell; great-grandchildren Adam, Sarah, Korbin and Jordan. Mary Lou leaves behind a legacy rich in love, faith, integrity and charity. Anyone privileged enough to have known her is a better person because of it. Rest easy now, Mom. You’ve taught us well; we will take it from here.