Mary Feamster Phillips, age 82 of Forest City died Wednesday, March 11, 2026.  Mary was born on October 8, 1943, in Alderson, West Virginia and was a daughter of the late George Feamster and Lena Karnes Feamster. 

Mary worked as a teacher’s assistant in the Rutherford County Schools starting her career at Forest City Elementary, then Dunbar and finally at Forest City/Dunbar where she retired.  She was a member of Bethany Baptist Church where she was involved in the Nursery, with Mission Friends, WMU and cooking meals for bereaved families. 

She was also involved in the Girl Scouts of America where she served in a leadership position for 20 years.  Mary was above all else a devoted and loving wife, mother, and grandmother.  Her family and home were important to her.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by brothers, Frank and Richard Feamster, her sister, Rebecca Loudermilk, and an infant sister, Martha Feamster.

Survivors include her husband of 60 years, James M. (Jim) Phillips, Jr. of the home, her son, James M. Phillips, III and wife Dana of Hendersonville, her daughters, Carolina P. Abbott and husband Chris of Fuquay Varina, NC, and Mary Phillips Tampa and husband Mike of Corneilius, NC, her brothers, Henry Feamster and wife Dru, George Feamster. her sister, Rachael Goodall all of West Virginia, and her beloved grandchildren, Breanne Cruikshank (Will), Grace Abbott, Kyle Scavo, Emily Phillips, and Mason Scavo.

The funeral service will be held at 2 o’clock on Saturday, March 14, 2026 at Bethany Baptist Church with Pastor Lane Goff officiating.  Interment will follow in the church cemetery.  The family will receive friends from 1 until 2 o’clock prior to the service in the Sanctuary. 

The Padgett and King Mortuary is in charge of arrangements and an online guest registry is available at www.padgettking.com