Billie Augusta (Allen) Phillips

    A Celebration of Life for Mrs. Billie Augusta Allen Phillips, 99 of Decatur, Alabama will be 11:30am Saturday at King's Memorial United Methodist Church with Dr. Wylheme Ragland officiating and the Reverend Rod Stallworth, host pastor.  The body will lie in repose one hour prior to funeral.  Public viewing will be Thursday from 3-7 and Friday from 10-7 at Reynolds Funeral Home.

    Billie Augusta Allen was born to the union of Horace Bernis Allen and Estella Hill Allen in Decatur, Alabama on  Monday,  July 6, 1919.   She was the third generation in her family to be born in the ancestral Hill – Allen Residence on the corner of Vine Street and McCartney Street.    She entered into rest at her residence on Friday, October 12, 2018 in the full triumph of the Christian faith with the assurance of eternal life given at her Baptism and Profession of Faith. In her act of faith, she gave her heart to God and her hands in the service of the church and   

    She was educated in the Decatur City School District and graduated from The Decatur Negro High School, Class of 1939, when Professor Clifford Joel Hurston was principal and her algebra teacher. She graduated on Friday, 26 May 1939 and the class motto was: “A Good Foundation Results in Permanent Success.”  Her  maiden name, Allen, was always first to appear on class rolls and on the commencement programme.  However, she survived all of her classmates and all commencement participants.

    After high school, Billie Augusta Allen married Jack Phillips and continued her education for beauty and cosmetology education.  With this pursuit, she graduated from the Lydia Adams    Beauty College, Chicago, Illinois.  She would later establish, own and operate Unique Beauty Salon; the current building is a land mark feature in Old Town.  Unique Beauty Salon is one of the oldest black owned businesses in Decatur and the oldest beauty salon business in continuous service in Decatur and Morgan County.  She provided encouragement and mentoring to countless women and men who entered the hair care profession.  She was an active member of the North Alabama Cosmetology Association.

    Mrs. Phillips was a fourth-generation member of King’s Memorial United Methodist Church, and served in every capacity of the work of the laity.  Her service to the congregation included:   Trustee Board, Building Committee, United Methodist Women, The Chancel Choir, Restricted Funds/Building Fund Treasurer, and member of the Sunday and Wednesday Bible Study.

    Family preceding her in death included: her husband; parents; siblings, Mrs. Donella Allen Jones and Miss Bessie Short; niece, Mrs. Ann Deloris Fitzgerald Reed; great nephews, Larry Bernard  Reed and Malcolm Devon Jones. 

    Her survivors include: nieces, Waltina Jones {Thomas}, Sandra Jones {Bennie}, Charlotte Wilson {Silas}, Paula Reed,  Billie Dean Scruggs,  Decatur; nephews, Michael Reed {Barbara}, John Reed,  Decatur; great nieces, Sonja Cowley, Samantha Allison, Teresa Spraggins, Carolyn Scruggs, Pamela Scruggs, Decatur; Alma Reedus, Cleveland, Ohio, and Elizabeth Porter {Nathaniel}, Columbus, Georgia, Lynn Smith and Sharon Shackelford {Stanley}, Decatur; great  nephews, Tavares Jones {Sabrina}, Athens, Gregory Scruggs {Gloria}, Decatur, Paul Scruggs, Chicago, Illinois, Ronnie Scruggs {Arnell}, Arlington, Tennessee, William Scruggs {Dana}, Ralph Balentine and Darrell Balentine, Decatur; two God Children, Carol Watkins, Joshua Howard Jones, Decatur; a plethora of great great nieces,  nephews, and cousins.  Special thanks to Mrs. Delilah Fletcher and her Church family. Special Friends, Eunice Wilson and Hope Trotter, Chicago, Illinois.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Billie Augusta (Allen) Phillips, please visit our floral store.