By By LYDIA GRIMES- Lifestyles reporter
Mrs. Susan Phillips died early Saturday morning in an Atlanta hospital of an apparent heart attack after an extended illness. She was the daughter of Lyman W. Phillips Jr. of Fairhope and the late Anne Miller Phillips.
Her grandparents were the late David and Louise H. Miller of Brewton and Lyman W. and Harriet C. Phillips of Taunton, Mass. She was a graduate of T.R. Miller High School and attended Jefferson Davis College and Auburn University.
She was born in Washington, D.C. April 6, 1956 and had lived in Franklin, Tenn., Auburn and a long time resident of Brewton.
She had moved to Atlanta earlier this year from Auburn where she had been a major contributor to June Collins Smith Museum of Fine Arts. She established the David Brent Miller and Louie Hause Miller Gallery in the museum. She donated her family's extensive collection of Audubon bird prints to the library to the library. It is believed to be the largest Audubon collection in the nation and is estimated to have a value of more than $1 million.
She also provided funding for the gardens in the end zones of Jordan-Hare Stadium in memory of her deceased son, Matthew Albert Tucker.
She donated millions to both Auburn University and the University of Alabama. In addition to the museum at Auburn, she made gifts to the Auburn University School of Veterinary Medicine, School of Forestry, College of Human Sciences, College of Liberal Arts and the sports programs.
She, as her mother before her, was an avid horse and animal lover. She showed American Saddle bred horses throughout the southeast and was the owner of Alpha-Sun Stables. She was a multi-talented exhibitor on the horse show circuit being a Grand Champion title holder in many divisions.
She is survived by her father and step-mother, Lyman W. and Gail Golson Phillips of Fairhope; her brother, Allen C. Phillips of Destin, Fla.; a step-brother, Jack P. Golson Jr. of Montgomery; two step-sisters, Lisa G. Singleton of Fort Deposit and Carla G. St. Peter of Destin and other friends and family.
Funeral services will be held at graveside at Union Cemetery, Thursday, July 10 at 5:30 p.m. with Williams Memorial Chapel Funeral Home directing. Visitation will precede the service at her home at 113 Alexander Drive in Brewton at 2 p.m. with the procession to the cemetery to follow. Flowers will be accepted and contributions may be made to a favorite charity.