07/24/2026
Cumberland, MD-Patricia Ann (Bittner) Phillips, 85, passed peacefully on July 21, 2026, with her children by her side at her home of 50 years.
Born January 24, 1941, in Cumberland, MD, to the late Walter and Wanda (Combs) Bittner, she was preceded in death by husband, William Edgar Phillips; brother, James Bittner, mother-and father-in-law, H. Glenn and Elrose (Schaffer) Phillips; sisters-in-law Jackie Bittner, Anna Phillips, Hazel Hager, and Mary Peer; brothers-in-law Stanley Radcliff and Louis Hager; and dear friends, Sharon Hyson, Lora Lee Kerchner, and Patty Ann Ruppenkamp.
Patricia is survived by her children, Laura (Stephen) Garner and David (Alicia) Phillips; sister, Helen "Cookie" (George) Baker; granddaughter, Paris Phillips; special niece Michelle (Jim) Harris; goddaughter, Carissa Perkins; brother-in-law, Curtis "Buddy" Peer; and many nieces and nephews.
She graduated from Fort Hill High School (FHHS) in 1959 and was class treasurer until its final reunion in 2024. As a teenager, she was a cashier/stocker at Gehauf's Grocery Store, and her first job after graduation was as a bookkeeper with the South Cumberland Planing Mill Co. She held a variety of jobs supporting her family while her husband attended college including as a teller in the Mortgage and Loan Department at First National Bank and Trust Company of Western Maryland, which she left in 1972 to become a homemaker, full-time Mom, and family matriarch-and she excelled at all. She was a homeroom mother at Johnson Heights Elementary School, and her days were often filled with her children's and grandchild's school events or helping many family members and friends.
She held FHHS varsity football season tickets since 1979. From 1991-2006, she was treasurer/box office cashier for Sally Dance Studio's reviews benefitting FHHS alumni.
She was a member of the Cresaptown FOE Auxiliary 2883, Cumberland Moose Lodge 271, Good Fellowship Social Club, Cumberland Outdoor Club, WoodmenLife Chapter 6, Ridgeley VFW Post 6152 and Fort Cumberland American Legion Post 13, where she last was a member of the women's shuffleboard team.
Visitation will be 5-7 p.m. Sunday, July 26 at Scarpelli Funeral Home, 108 Virginia Avenue, Cumberland. A funeral officiated by Reverend Lee Capper will be held at the funeral home at noon Monday, July 27, with visitation at 11 a.m. Interment will be at Hillcrest Burial Park.
Laura, David, and Cookie would like to thank Amy Crites, Judy Forbeck, Celeste Lisanti, Raquel Malcolm, and Carissa Perkins for being such wonderful companions for our dear mother and sister.
The family requests memorial contributions be made to the Fort Hill F Club, 500 Greenway Ave, Cumberland, MD 21502, or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 (https://www.stjude.org/donate/).
Condolences may be left at www.ScarpelliFH.com.
