FAYE PHILLIPS, after a heroic and dignified battle with cancer, left this earth to join her late husband, Burns Phillips Jr., October 26, 2009. Faye was 82 years young, born February 1, 1927 in Lebanon, Tennessee to Minnie Pearl Allison and Henry Cornelius Kent. Funeral service will be 10:30am Thursday, October 29, 2009 at Woodfin Memorial Chapel. Dr. Larry Lewis and Judy Sides will officiate. Burial will follow in Evergreen Cemetery. Faye is survived by her daughter and son-in-law Candice and Jim Ousley of Paducah, Kentucky and her son and daughter-in-law, Burns and Sally Phillips of Nashville, Tennessee. Additionally, she is survived by five grandchildren, Tonja (John) Rodgers, Jamie (Tonya) Ousley, Chad (Cresta) Phillips, Ashley (Robbie) Robertson, and Melissa (Rick) Melamed and nine great-grandchildren. Faye graduated from Watertown High School in 1945 where she excelled in basketball and was voted Best Girl Athlete. After earning her Masters from Middle Tennessee State University in 1958 she began her career as a teacher in the Murfreesboro, Tennessee grammar school system where she remained for 30 years. In 1988, after 16 years at Riverdale High School in Murfreesboro, she retired as one of the schools assistant principals. Throughout her career she was recognized as an outstanding educator both loved and respected by pupil and fellow staff alike. In 1946 Faye met and married Burns Phillips Jr. to whom she was married for 63 years. Throughout these years she and Burns enjoyed the outdoors, spending much time on Center Hill Lake where they fished, enjoyed water skiing and made many loyal friends who referred to her as the Lady of the Lake . Faye was recognized as a fisherwoman of significant skill few fishermen dared to challenge. In their later years they enjoyed traveling, visiting all fifty states. Faye was indeed a remarkable woman because throughout her life, during both good times and bad, she recognized the two truly important things in life, family and friends. She was the matriarch of her family embracing and engaging in the lives of all her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She was fiercely protective of them all and consistent in the love she showed each. She taught them all, by example, not words, the importance of personal strength, honesty, integrity and dignity. But more importantly, the value of family and friends. She has now joined her beloved Burns to embark on their next great adventure together. Her family will miss them both more than words can express. Visitation will be from 4:00 until 7:00 pm Wednesday, October 28, 2009 at Woodfin Memorial Chapel. Family and friends will serve as pallbearers. In lieu of flowers the family requests memorials be made to Caris Healthcare, 242 Heritage Park Drive, Ste. 101, Murfreesboro, TN 37129 or the American Cancer Society. Woodfin Memorial Chapel, 615-893-5151, www.woodfinchapel.com