Myrtle C. Phipps

Myrtle C. Phipps, 84, of Grants Pass died Oct. 7, 2008, at Three Rivers Community Hospital. A celebration of her life will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday at First Christian Church, with Wes Winn, pastor, officiating. She was born Myrtle Constance Best, April 18, 1924, in Los Angeles to Emiline and Heber Best. After graduating from Washington High School in Los Angeles, she worked at Citizen Bank, where she received training to become an executive secretary. On July 30, 1944, she married James Eugene "Gene" Phipps, who survives. After the birth of her son, she became a homemaker. She lived in Hanford, Calif., Alhambra, Calif., and Covina, Calif., prior to 1983, when she and her husband retired to Grants Pass, where they built a home. She was active in bowling leagues in both Covina and Grants Pass and she sang and played the piano and accordion with the Bethany Baptist Church Chorale of Covina and at the former First Baptist Church of Grants Pass (now River Valley Community Church). She was a member of several churches, including Epworth Methodist Church, Bethany Baptist Church, First Baptist Church of Grants Pass, Faith Baptist and First Christian Church, and she was a member of the Christian Women's Fellowship of Covina. She had a card ministry and sent out more than 200 cards to people throughout the world. She also was the secretary for Joy Class for more than 20 years and sent cards to all of the more than 100 members in that class. She enjoyed reading and traveling with her husband and they visited many places around the world. She also enjoyed trips to the Oregon coast and the mountain lakes to spend time with her husband and friends camping and fishing. In addition to her husband, survivors include a son, Daniel E. Phipps of Pueblo, Colo.; and a grandson.