Eleanor Garner Johnson Phillips passed away on October 20, 2015. She was born on September 9, 1917 in Clovis, New Mexico to Laurel Boyne and Lillian Vivia Garner Johnson. She was preceded in death by her husband, Mark Ray Phillips; a brother, Kenneth Laurel (Mike) Johnson who was killed in WWII; and a sister, Geraldine Dore of Seattle, WA. She is survived by three daughters, Carolyn and her husband Ken Wills of Estes Park, Colorado, Diane Bailey of Springfield and Cynthia and her husband Jim Weaver of Estes Park, Colorado. She has seven grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. Garner was an accomplished musician, having been a church organist for over 60 years. At age 10, Garner had learned all that her local piano teachers could teach her, so she studied under a professor in Amarillo, Texas. She would take the train, by herself, walk four blocks to her lesson, which lasted two hours then take the train home to Clovis. She became the organist at St. James Episcopal Church in Clovis at age 12. In the summer of 1930 during the Great Depression, Garner and her sister Jerry entered a "'tree sitting" contest. She didn't win but sat in the tree for 35 days. She finally got down as she was invited to play piano on a float in the Labor Day parade, an honor she couldn't refuse. Garner graduated from Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri with a major in music and a minor in journalism. After graduation, she took a summer job as society editor on the Clovis News Journal. It was there she met her husband to be, her beloved Mark, who was the photographer for the newspaper. They were married in 1937 living in Clovis, NM, Atchison, KS and finally to Springfield, Missouri where Mark owned and ran Phillips Engraving Co. on Commercial Street. Garner was a published author and genealogist. She and her husband were avid golfers and played at Twin Oaks Country Club for many years. Garner was a member of SMMA, Etude, Avant Garde, Chapter FU of PEO, and spent many years in PTA. Garner was the church organist for First Christian Church in Atchison, Kansas and Central Christian Church in Springfield where she also taught Sunday school to all ages. She was a voracious reader, loved hiking in the Rocky Mountains and was an expert in needlework. The Phillips home was always a welcoming place including exchange students from Germany, Norway and India. After retirement, Garner and her husband, Mark travelled the world over. In later years, while living at The Montclair, she performed piano concerts, instigated a recycling program of newspapers, etc. led a variety of discussion groups and wrote several articles about life there. Since April 2014, Garner had lived at The Maples, cared for by their compassionate staff, along with hospice. Garner was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother who will be deeply missed. Family was always her top priority. Memorial Services will be held Saturday, November 14, 2015 at 11:00 am at Central Christian Church, following burial at Brighton, Missouri Cemetery. Memorial donations may be made to Central Christian Church, 1475 N. Washington Ave., Springfield, MO 65802, or Brentwood Christian Church, 1900 E. Barataria St., Springfield, MO 65804 or Crosslines, 3010 E. Sunshine St, Springfield, MO 65804. Online condolences may be made at www.gormanscharpf.com.