Jesus Christ and Life-Long Friends - Interview with Phyllis Fellows
by Kimberly Wold
Phyllis Dean Toomey Fellows has always been a hard-working and active woman. She was raised in Athens, Tennessee, and has lived in Arizona on and off for the last 66 years. She attended college at Tennessee Wesleyan with a scholarship, 3rd highest ranking in her high school class, and finished her teaching degree at ASU. Phyllis has three beloved daughters, four grandchildren, and numerous great-grandchildren who check on her regularly. At age 95, she has slowed down a bit. While her mind is sharp and curious, her knees have stopped working, so she recently moved into a one-bedroom apartment in an assisted living center. This has been challenging for Phyllis—for a very independent woman, she has found it hard to require so much help for the daily necessities.
Her faith in Jesus Christ has been a mainstay for Phyllis and has helped her get through this difficult transition. Friends have also been important to her—she was part of a group of five women who have been friends since they were in first grade. Even now, she plays bridge three to four times a week rotating amongst old and new friends. It is a privilege to be counted as one of her friends. My sister, Tammy, and I visit Phyllis every week, and the following is my interview with her during a recent visit.
Q: You have a well-marked Holy Bible. What is your favorite scripture?
Isaiah 40:31 (NASB)
“Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary.”
My dad and brother had Huntington’s Disease. This scripture gives me comfort and helps me to know my dad and brother don’t have Huntington’s in the next life. Both had lost the ability to walk or run. My brother was the number one-ranked tennis player in Tennessee when he was 16 years old.
Isaiah 41:10 (NASB)
“Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”
I read these scriptures at my aunt’s funeral service—she had Parkinson’s, and I know she also can do the things she couldn’t do.
Q: What is your religion?
I believe in Jesus Christ as my Savior and I was raised a Southern Baptist.
Q: What is your earliest recollection of Jesus Christ?
I was 4 years old when I attended bible school in the summertime as a pre-schooler. The songs, crafts, bible study, and stories, all taught me about Jesus Christ. My parents talked about Jesus Christ in the house and my mother taught Sunday School to the children.
Q: When did you learn that you had faith in Jesus Christ?
When I was baptized at age ten, I knew. Our pastor, Charles S. Bond, was a single man and my parents had a boarding house so the pastor ate supper with my family and he influenced me. He said prayers and told bible stories from the Old Testament and the New Testament. I was very aware of both the Old and New Testaments. It was a process, step by step, little by little, story by story, everything added up to tell me Jesus is real and that I could trust him. My mother’s teaching in Sunday School was a strong influence, as well.
Q: When have you had to rely on your faith in Christ?
Every single day. As I lived my life, I pulled out what I learned studying about Jesus. It was a process—the knowledge of Christ helps me when I need it, it always has gotten me through hard things. I pray a lot being here in this new place. It doesn’t feel like the real me sitting here—I can’t go to the bathroom by myself — I don’t feel this is where I should be. I want to be in my own place cooking my own meals, having privacy, and I am not able to. My faith gives me the courage to face each day. My first thought of the day is can I make it to the bathroom?
Q: You have always had a remarkable network of friends. How have your friends influenced you?
I am part of a group of five friends who helped me get through life—a mix of different faiths. Margaret Anne, Lila Jean, Mary Frances, Mary Jo, and me, Phyllis Dean. Three were Methodist, one was Catholic, and I was Southern Baptist. Our friendship was more important than our religious differences. Although I was raised Southern Baptist, I went to a Catholic camp and it was fine - everyone could be an individual and respected in East Tennessee. We had two Jewish families and one Catholic family in our community, all were respected like everyone else.
Q: Do you pray?
Yes, mostly when upset or concerned. I don’t usually have nightly religious prayers. My prayers are mostly informal, rarely formal. I pray in my mind, “Dear God, Dear Jesus," depending on how I feel, but I have had more contact lately because I am sad and there has been a lot of drama because of this move.
Q: How have your prayers changed over the years?
I have become more dependent upon Jesus and more informal with my conversations with Him. I pray throughout the day because I need more help and I think of Him first.
Closing thoughts:
Friendships were so important to me growing up. Nobody smoked or drank—we all supported each other no matter what. My friends were a good influence in my life. And we all knew who God was and what He did for us.
Photograph: The photograph below was taken in 1996 at Phyllis’s 50th High School Reunion with her friends from first grade and on through life. Phyllis is on the far right of the picture.
