Rhonda Louise Phillips Harris

 Rhonda Louise Phillips Harris passed from this earth into the arms of Jesus on November 7th, 2023.  She was 50 years of age.  Rhonda was born on March 23, 1973, in Louisville MS.    Upon graduation from Winston Academy, she attended William Carey College, where she received her Bachelor’s Degree in 1996 and later earned her Master Of Education in 2003.  After completing her Bachelor’s Degree, she accepted a position as a Journeyman with the Southern Baptist Convention where she was a teacher to Missionary’s children in Maracaibo, Venezuela for two years.  

 After returning to the states she taught at Prentiss Christian Academy and at St Martin Elementary in Ocean Springs.   The majority of her teaching career was spent in the Harrison County School System in Gulfport. She taught several different grades throughout her 25-year career, but her true calling was for kindergarten. She most recently taught kindergarten at Crossroads Elementary School in Gulfport.  Rhonda also loved volunteering every Sunday in the nursery at First Baptist Church Gulfport.

Rhonda is survived by her son Matthew James Harris, U.S. Army, Fort Jackson, SC, her parents, Ron and Judy Phillips of Louisville, her brother Michael Phillips (Laura) of Ridgeland, along with her two nephews Cole Phillips of Jackson and Reese Phillips of Oxford, and a very special friend Chris Jordan of Saraland, AL. She is also survived by many aunts, uncles and cousins.  She was preceded in death by her paternal grandparents Earl and Lois Phillips and her maternal grandparents Stansel and Cecile Richmond.

Visitation will be Thursday, November 9th from 12-2 p.m. with the funeral following at 2:00 at Porter Funeral Home in Louisville.  Interment will be at Memorial Park in Louisville. 

Memorials can be made to Nursery & Children’s Ministry at FBC Gulfport, MS;  Building Renovation Fund at FBC Louisville, MS; or Poplar Flat Baptist Church, Louisville, MS