Mary Helen Phillips James was born to James Lee Phillips Sr. and Ruby Lee Yancy on May 18, 1953, in Hughes, Arkansas and departed this life on January 11, 2020, in Orlando, Florida.
Mary and her mom soon relocated to Steele/Cooter, Missouri where her mom Ruby later married Walter Hatten Sr. which gave her many siblings.
At the age of 13 Mary, along with her family, moved to Benton Harbor, Michigan, where they joined Community Church of God in Christ under the leadership of the Late Bishop Nathaniel Wells Sr. She graduated from Benton Harbor High School in 1970 and took classes at Western Michigan University and Lake Michigan College.
Mary married Arisker Gulledge in 1973 and to this union, she birthed Nathaniel Edward, Curtis Lenal, Jessica Candi Maria Lachelle and Jeremy Arisker
She was preceded in death by Father James Lee Phillips Sr., mother Ruby Lee Burton, stepfathers Walter Hatten Sr. and Eli Burton, stepmom Viola Phillips, and brothers Janes Phillips Jr., Charles Phillips, and Robert Earl Hatten.
She leaves to cherish her memories her dearly devoted and loving husband John Livingston James Jr. Sisters, Joyce (Pastor Kerwin) Hudson, Ruby (Glen) Burton, Vivian Phillips, Regina Phillips, Mary (George) Burton, brothers, Walter Hatten, Vernal Hatten, Gary Hatten, Ivan Hatten, Aaron (Patsy) Phillips, Reggie Phillips, Roy (Jemimah) Phillips, Arthur Phillips, Marcus Phillips, Curtis (LaToya) Burton, children, Nathaniel Edward (Latonya) Gulledge, Curtis Lenal (Shirica) Gulledge, Jessica Candi Maria Lachelle Gulledge, and Jeremy Arisker Gulledge, one stepdaughter, Decole (Uma) Allen, and two stepsons, Jonathon Powell, and John McGee
11 Grandchildren, and a host of nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.
Special Friends include Deborah Burton, Carolyn Fort, Loretta Tisdale, Barbra Watson, Brenda Banks, Joyce Hampton, and Terrie Harrison.
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