Lasting Memories

Mitzi Phillips
Feb. 7, 1939-Oct. 9, 2025
Grass Valley, California

Mitzi Phillips was voted “Most Likely to Be Remembered” in high school — and that could not have been more true. She lived a full, colorful, and adventurous life that many of us could only dream of. A true steel magnolia, Mitzi was known for her unforgettable stories, her sharp wit, and her ability to find humor in any situation.

Mitzi Casselberry was born on February 7, 1939, in Newport, Arkansas. She passed away October 9, 2025. She attended Lindenwood College in Missouri and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York, where she starred in many highly acclaimed productions, including The Seagull, The Sound of Music, and A Streetcar Named Desire.

She met and married her husband, Samuel R. Phillips, in 1960. She continued to pursue her theater dreams but eventually shifted her focus to raising her two daughters.

In addition to being a wonderful stay-at-home mom, Mitzi pursued a wide range of passions throughout her life. She was a devoted Red Cross volunteer—serving as a military liaison, a disaster relief and preparedness worker, and participating in international tracing efforts to help Holocaust survivors locate lost family members. She also worked as a research assistant with Koko at The Gorilla Foundation — a role she often spoke of with great pride — and she provided lectures about the project across the country. Mitzi expressed her creativity through beautiful watercolor paintings and writing, including her murder mystery novels Letterbox Murders and Devil’s Bluff.

Some of my happiest memories with Mom are the simplest ones — bundling up as a child and walking in the rain down to the creek, making crafts like transforming newspapers into corn stalks and homemade Christmas ornaments. One of my favorite memories is taking a road trip across California to “stalk” Roy Rogers, listening to his music the entire way. Mitzi could turn even stressful moments into comedy. She always found a way to entertain us, even when we were bored — like playing the game of naming movie stars using only their initials, which became one of our funny inside jokes.

Mitzi was preceded in death by her parents, Dr. C.C. and Willa Metta Casselberry; her sisters, Betty Pryor and Meta Crank; and her husband of 63 years, Samuel R. Phillips.

She is survived by her daughters, Amanda Phillips and Amelia Gough (Ryan Johnson); her triplet grandchildren who she was so proud of Wyatt, Garrett, and Kelly Gough; and her caregiver, Emily Koski.

Mom, I will miss you forever — I love you.

Mitzi donated her body to science at UC Davis Medical Center, as did her husband Sam — a final reflection of the generosity they both embodied throughout their lives.