Phyllis Dobbins Henry

Phyllis Dobbins Henry, born in Caspar, Wyoming, May 4, 1921, raised in Corpus Christi, Texas, and a devoted adopted daughter of Kingsport, Tennessee, since 1956, was called home to God Wednesday, November 26, 2008.

Phyllis was a mother of uncommon energy, passion, and dauntless self-confidence to sons, Stephen Henry, M.D. deceased, of Philadelphia and daughter-in-law, Nancy, Kevin Henry, of Pittsburgh, PA and daughter-in-law, Kimberly, and daughter Stephanie Henry Bryant and son-in-law, Michael, also of Philadelphia. Equally, she is a much beloved grandmother of Dana and Molly Henry, and Connor and Quinn Bryant, all of Philadelphia. She is also the very lucky recipient of the long-term extraordinary care, devotion, and companionship of Frank Sheppard of Kingsport.

Phyllis is renown by her children for her expertise in cooking, novelty in cake-making a legacy proudly carried on by her daughter, insistence on real make-upa€"no masksa€"at Halloween, and her steadfastness of will. To the public she is perhaps best known for her originality of Christmas decorations, multiple awards for Funfest yard beautification, and an overall indefatigable sense of style. Effectively, her motto was, "It can always be done better, and I'll figure out how." It was her Christmas lights on Watauga Street in the 70's and 80's that many now middle-aged Kingsporters remember and continue to comment on with affection and nostalgia.

A long-time lover of dancing who was once nicknamed "swivel-hips" by an admiring brother-in-law she wore the appellation proudly, she believed strongly in good manners, good friends, and honoring the Queen's English. She was as well sustained in good times and bad by her Catholic faith it was she who organized and saw through to completion the St Dominic's School Christmas parties while her children attended there, a relentless competitive spirit, her love of and pride in her adopted homeland of Kingsport, and Coca-Cola.

Unknown even to many close friends is that Phyllis was one of the first World War II WACs, and an accomplished snare drummer in the country-touring WAC National Marching Band, yellowed newspaper photos of which continue to charm and touch her family.

But Phyllis is probably best known to community-minded Kingsporters as an unparalleled antique dealer with a keen eye for the beauty and value of primitive furniture, and the potential for refurbishment of multiple area homes whose latent beauty she delighted in augmenting and whose remodeled shelter she could not resist moving herself and her family into.

She is as much a part of this town as Church Circle, Mead Paper, and Skoby's Restaurant. Kingsport is better for her, and will not be the same without her.

A celebration of Phyllis' life will be held at St. Dominic's Church on John B. Dennis Highway, Saturday, December 27, at 1:00 PM. Kingsporters are invited to join her family there and tell their own story about her. She would like that.

In lieu of flowers, contributions to the St. Vincent DePaul Fund at St. Dominic's Church, 2517 John B. Dennis Hwy, Kingsport, TN 37660, are encouraged. A woman of hospitality, Phyllis would like that too.