Wanna L. Phillips

Wanna L. Phillips, 73, of Bastrop, Texas, passed away on Sunday, September 25, 2022. Wanna was born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi to Charles and Vesta Liles on October 22, 1948. She graduated from Robert E. Lee High School in Baytown, Texas in 1967 followed by The University of Texas at Austin.

In 1986 she moved her family to Bastrop where she became a pillar of the Bastrop business community for 34 years, owning and operating two successful H&R Block franchises from which she retired in 2020. She was passionately devoted to her work and considered her employees and clients as family.

Her love for her family was deep and she was an anchor for hers. Within her large extended family, her home was revered as a hub as her father’s was before her. She found great fulfillment uniting friends and family, graciously hosting large gatherings for many years, and her creole, gumbo, and buttermilk pie were legendary. Above all else, her daughters and granddaughter were her greatest pride and joy.

Wanna is survived by her beloved husband of 50 years, Paul Phillips; daughters Dusty Phillips Gura (Brian) of Chagrin Falls, OH and Jessica Phillips of Cuyahoga Falls, OH; brothers Edward Liles of Houston, Albert Liles (Sharon) of Taylor, Michael Liles of Gonzales, and sister Wendy Ballard (Dwight) of Etoile; and granddaughter Chloe Barnes currently attending Purdue University in Indiana.

She is preceded in death by her parents Charles and Vesta Liles.

In the spirit of Wanna’s love for bringing people together, her family will be hosting a celebration of her life on Saturday, October 1, 2022 at her home in Bastrop.

Her family extends their sincere thanks to the doctors and nurses of St. David’s in Austin.