Phyllis B (Brinkley) Luttrell

Phyllis B. Luttrell (nee Brinkley) of Medford, NJ, passed peacefully on Sunday, June 19, 2022.  She was 91 years of age.  Phyllis was born in Nansemond Co., VA to Nettie (nee Griffin) and Roy Brinkley.  She lived on a farm in Suffolk, VA and enjoyed the country life, harvesting fresh vegetables from the garden, attending church on Sundays, taking pound cake to friends to ‘sit a spell’, attending a school with only 11 in her graduating class, and learning how to cook and sew.

She received her teaching degree from Radford College and finished her work career at Lenape High School in Medford, NJ as a home economics teacher for over 30 years.  She enjoyed helping students learn and enjoy important life skills.  She loved overseeing a preschool daycare, making interesting bulletin boards, creating yummy lesson plans, and working cooperatively with her fellow teachers.

She loved taking care of her home, using all her talents in cooking, sewing, and crafting to make a loving and warm space for her family. She had a great eye for decorating and was always willing to lend her talents to her children, friends, and church.  You could also find her in the yard, picking up sticks and pinecones or pulling weeds. She had wonderful and supportive neighbors and loved walking around the neighborhood and nearby lakes, stopping to talk to anyone that she met.

Phyllis loved God.  She was a wonderful example for many others to follow.  She opened her home to those that needed shelter, she supported those that needed food, she volunteered at her church, attended weekly bible studies with her ‘Band of Believers’, and gently urged her children and grandchildren to do the same.  She loved Jesus.  She was a member of Lighthouse Tabernacle Church, Lumberton, NJ where she helped with creative decorating for all church functions and volunteered wherever needed.  She loved plays with the Lenape Ladies (other retired teachers).  She had a heart to serve with approximately 5 different roommates whom she opened her house to in times of need.  She went on two mission trips; 1 to help after Katrina flooding, and one in Mexico.  She got nicknamed ‘Cookie Lady’.  She had cookies baked and ready to handout all the time.  Her spirit was filled with Joy.  She loved to laugh and spread Joy wherever she could.  If the ice cream was good she would have it for breakfast!

Phyllis was married for many years to Richard Luttrell, former coach and athletic director in Willingboro, NJ.  She spent many years attending games, dressing up her children in special cheerleading outfits, and cheering on the teams. Every game day, the house had to be cleaned top to bottom, so that assuming the team won (which was usually) all coaches/wives came back to the house for a party. She was a fabulous hostess!

Phyllis had a lifelong pen pal, also named Phyllis that lived in England, that she started writing to in the seventh grade.  They managed to talk on the phone and eventually get together several times in NJ and England.  They even managed to make the local news and papers for their longevity as pen pals.  Phyllis traveled to Israel, Greece, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Canadian Rockies with her daughters, England, France, and the States.

In the last seven years, Phyllis was gently and loving cared for full time in her home, by her caregiver, Evelyn.  They called each other cute nicknames, laughed about silly things, and kept each other company, in a safe, caring, and love filled space.  The family is immensely thankful to her for all she did to keep Phyllis comfortable and cared for until the end.

Phyllis is the beloved mother of the late Karen Sue, Linda (and Roger) Hayden of Dover, NH, Lori (and Phil) Roessler of Camarillo, CA, adoring grandmother of Ryan Hayden in Quincy, MA and Sean Hayden in St. Augustine, FL, dear sister of Nancy Glenn (husband Robert) in Lynchburg, VA, and brother Roy Van (wife Cara) Brinkley in Suffolk, VA and wonderful aunt to several others.

A visitation with the family will be held on Saturday, July 9, 2022, from 10am-Noon at the Bradley & Stow Funeral Home 127 Medford-Mt. Holly Road, Medford, NJ 08055.  A funeral service will be held at Noon.  Interment will be private.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in her name may be made to Samaritan Hospice at Samaritan Gift Processing Center, PO Box 71425, Philadelphia, PA 19176-1425  www.samaritanNJ.org/DONATE

 (www.BradleyStow.com) 

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