14 lagunabeachindy . com JANUARY 27 , 2023
OBITUARY :
Vivian “ Sissy ” Caris alias Reynders ( May 22 , 1954 – January 18 , 2023 )
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Vivian “ Sissy ” Caris alias Reynders ( née Thompson ) passed away peacefully Wednesday , January 18 , 2023 at home surrounded by her family .
Sissy was born May 22 , 1954 , in Midland , Texas . After both parents passed away prematurely , Sissy and her brother , Scott , at a very young age , moved to the family ’ s cattle ranch in Madill , Oklahoma to live
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with their brother Harry . The siblings subsequently moved from Oklahoma to the home of an aunt and uncle and later family friends in Porterville , California , where they graduated high school . After attending Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo , a close friend influenced Sissy ’ s move to Laguna Beach in 1977 .
Adventurous as she was , in 1976 , Sissy spent three months in the Philippines , meeting her brother Scott , serving in the Peace Corp . Several years later , she decided to meet a friend in Antigua , British Virgin Islands , where she met Eric . It was a fast and sure romance , a love worthy of a novel . A short four months after that , Sissy and Eric married in San Luis Obispo on April 1 , 1984 . The following year they moved to Laguna Beach , where they raised three incredible children , Dustin , Lauren , and Kyle .
Sissy ’ s wonderful attitude and ability to connect with people made her stellar in the positions she held in the restaurant business . Later , she turned her love of plants into a successful interior landscape business , Potted
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Creations . This allowed her to work , be home with the kids , attend all school events and activities , and always have a prepared family dinner on the table . Sissy ’ s business thrived on the loyalty of her long-time clients , all of whom she greatly appreciated .
Sissy was a loving , deep , and compassionate person . She loved people dearly and built many friendships as close as family . She took great pride in maintaining relationships with her many family members in the U . S . and Belgium . Her sense of humor knew no bounds . She always looked at the bright side of things and never saw anything as a problem .
Sissy was sure to share her perspective gained through experiencing loss so early in life . She was present and thankful for right here , right now , and she hoped you were too .
Sissy loved life . Our world was turned upside down when she was diagnosed with cancer nearly six years ago . Faced with the biggest challenge of her life , Sissy remained undeterred . Doing the research and making the calls , she managed every aspect and never wanted
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anyone to be impacted by the challenge she was faced with . She was fortunate to have seen Dustin and Lauren each marry , followed by the gift of three grandchildren , all boys ! She supported Kyle through his dream of formally studying ceramics and cheered on his achievement of a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from The Kansas City Art Institute . She loved her family endlessly , and she will live in our hearts forever .
Sissy is survived by her husband Eric , her son Dustin and daughterin-law Dana , their two children Dalton and Owen , Daughter Lauren and son-in-law Brad Mitchell , their newborn Beau , and her son Kyle .
Services will be held Saturday , January 28 , 2023 , at 1 p . m . at St . Mary ’ s Episcopal Church in Laguna Beach .
Sissy ’ s ashes will be spread off the coast of her beloved Laguna . In lieu of flowers , please donate to Tinas Wish and / or Ovarian . org to support early intervention and detection of Ovarian cancer .
PAID ANNOUNCEMENT
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OBITUARY :
Patricia Whiteside Phillips ( March 15 , 1934 - January 12 , 2023 )
She loved playing at life .
Ebullient artist , activist and teacher Patricia Whiteside Phillips passed away Thursday , January 12 , 2023 . Her colorful life culminated in participating in more than 50 art exhibits across the country , four decades showing at the Sawdust Festival , Art-A-Fair , and Festival of Arts , and inspiring thousands of kids of all ages to make art .
Pat was born in Chicago to Frank Bloom and Mildred V . Northmore Bloom on March 15 , 1934 . She spent her elementary years in Chevy Chase , Maryland , as her father was a prominent Supreme Court trial lawyer .
President Franklin D . Roosevelt invited him to join the recently established National Labor Relations Board as the chief trial examiner . Pat ’ s mother was a silent movie actress and ceramic artist who encouraged her daughter ’ s dramatic and artistic development . After the death of Pat ’ s father in 1948 , her mother , Mildred , moved with Pat and her sister Susan to California to be closer to her family . Pat ’ s socialite Aunt took her under her wing , groomed her for high society entertaining and sent her to finishing and modeling school during her high school years . Pat wanted to be like her mother , an actress in movies and an artist .
She studied art at Scripps College in Claremont , Calif ., where she met the father of her two daughters , Davis Gilbert Whiteside . They married at St . Mary ’ s Church in Laguna Beach in 1957 . She obtained her teaching certificate from UC Berkeley before marriage and received a secondary teaching credential at UCI after her divorce .
Pat arrived in Laguna Beach in 1966 , a fresh divorcee raising her two daughters as a single mom . When her daughters were grown , she married her second husband , Raoul D . Phillips , in 1987 , again at St . Mary ’ s Church . He was the true love of her life .
In 1999 , her grandson Cullen was born , becoming her new obsession . He fueled her desire to connect with preschool artists .
She had a 25-year career as a high school art teacher in the Santa Ana Unified School District , working for Saddleback and Santa Ana High Schools . As a teacher , Pat worked to inspire and encourage students to be creative and broaden their skills and knowledge about art and life . She worked to advance the students ’ artistic confidence by showcasing their talents in public exhibits throughout the county . Pat established the “ Art Attack Club ” with her high school students to introduce art as action storytelling to express their family , culture , and community . She was a role model to many of her students , who later became teachers . She was annually voted “ favorite teacher ” by her students from the mid-1970s to her retirement in 1994 .
Always eager to learn , she continued taking art classes throughout her life . Mid-career , she obtained an Art MFA from the Claremont Graduate School in 1983 . She studied photography at Cal State Fullerton , Cypress College , and was deeply inspired by her teacher Jerry Burchfield . Through Jerry ’ s classes , she developed a niche in her mixed media projects where she could combine her painting skills with photography .
In retirement , she was busier than ever as an officer and then board member of local Laguna art groups : The Arts Alliance , Community Art Project ( CAP ), and LOCA . She was also a founding member of The Orange County Center for Contemporary Art . Pat missed working with and inspiring children after retiring . She found her way back into teaching as a board member of LOCA , which enabled her to develop art programs for the Boys and Girls Club and the program “ Kids Art at the Library ” in Laguna Beach .
Between her volunteer activities , Pat loved to exercise by taking long walks along the beach and swimming in the ocean , providing inner peace and reflection for her active mind .
The world has lost one of the most creative artists and thinkers who never stayed on the path with others but found a way to meet up with them in the end . She talked endlessly to everyone she encountered , problem-solving their issues whether requested or not and attempted matchmaking with strangers and friends based on astrology . She had a great sense of humor and lived an abundant , blissful life . Pat didn ’ t live within the boundaries of the ordinary . She was , instead , extraordinary .
Pat leaves behind her loving husband , Raoul D . Phillips , two daughters , Katie Whiteside and Terry Whiteside , son-inlaw Tony Hudgins , grandson , Cullen , sister Susan B . Lobo , and niece Kelina Lobo , along with many friends .
Pat will be laid to rest on February 2 , 2023 , at 11 a . m . at the El Toro Memorial Park Cemetery . All family and friends are welcome to attend . In lieu of flowers , please donate to LOCA , CAP , or OCCCA in memory of Patricia Whiteside Phillips . An art retrospective is planned for a future date , to be announced later .
PAID ANNOUNCEMENT