Daddy was instrumental in the planning and development of The Upshur County Recreational Park, located beside and behind Buckhannon-Upshur High School, in Buckhannon, WV. He helped raise community awareness and support for the need of such a complex. As a result, after his death in 1980, at the age of 54, the baseball field was named in memory of him.

The William E. Phillips Memorial Field” is one of the best high school baseball fields in the state of West Virginia. This is due largely to the time, energy, and effort put forth by Coach Mickey Tenney. I applaud him for a job well done. But it is an on-going, never ending effort. Coach Tenney maintains the field single-handedly.

My Moma
Betty L. Phillips
1929 – 15 year ovarian cancer survivor

My Moma and I are really, really close; not only do we share a wonderful Mother/Daughter relationship, we’re friends. I love her with a passion and feel quite blessed that she is still in my life. I am lucky enough to visit with her one week each month and I cherish our times together.

I remember what a difficult time she had finding out just what was wrong with her when she was 65. She went to quite a few physicians and had an enormous amount of testing, but they were unable to find anything wrong with her. At last, a physician did one last test, and he discovered she had ovarian cancer. I’ll never forget her reaction when Dr. Hess told Moma what was wrong with her. She just looked at him and said “Well, let’s get it out of there!” Maybe she wasn’t too surprised, because ovarian cancer has been very prevalent among her female relatives.

That’s why they call ovarian cancer the silent disease. It’s difficult to diagnose and may often be in advanced stages before it is discovered. My Moma, the little trooper that she is, had a complete hysterectomy and chemotherapy for a period of 3-4 months. I truly believe her positive attitude and the support of family and friends got her through this ordeal.

She’s had a wonderful 15 years and like the “energizer bunny”, she keeps going and going and going!

Camella Young McCord
1952-2008

My friend, Camella, passed away in March of 2008, after a long struggle with ovarian cancer. Camella was just 56 years old. Camella was a loving wife and Mother, daughter, sister, aunt, friend and colleague. She was a teacher and more recently volunteered for the Wood County Public School System. She served on the Board of directors of The Parkersburg Day Nursery, in Parkersburg, WV.

Camella was one of my favorite people. Her enthusiasm for life was contagious and her laughter melodic. I never once heard her say a harsh word about anyone. Her husband, Steve, “fixed ‘hubs’ and me up” and he and Camella joined us on our “blind” first date! What a memory. Her presence in my life was both a privilege and a blessing. I have a treasure chest of memories that include her and Steve: “La Bamba” and “Twist and Shout” solos at various events, and WVU tailgates are just a few such fond moments that shall forever delight the space reserved in my heart and mind for Camella. Thoughts of her shall warm my heart always.

Please take a moment and check out some of the websites below. Learn more about ovarian cancer. My desire is to increase awareness of ovarian cancer, some of its organizations, and how you may contribute to the cause.

If you wish to make a memorial contribution on behalf of Camella McCord, please send a check made payable to:
Parkersburg Day Nursery
1021 Market Street
Parkersburg, WV 26101

Beverly was my sister and the oldest of five children. She was just 15 years old when she died as a result of hydrocephalus. Hydrocephalus is an abnormal build up of fluid inside the skull, leading to brain swelling. She died just after her third surgery in August, 1964, before shunts and their placement were perfected.

I was just 13 when “Bevy” died. My memories of her are vivid. She was an extremely intelligent child, winning numerous academic awards during her fifteen years. She was a Girl Scout, a member of 4-H, and she sang in the church and high school choirs. She spoke, read, and wrote French fluently and communicated regularly with a pen-pal from France.

When she was just 14, Bevy experienced some sudden changes. She had headaches that were so severe she’d sleep for days, and would wake up thinking it was that same day. She was a straight A student who was suddenly making C’s and an occasional D. Her memory was seemingly impaired. Her appearance changed, and her head seemed somewhat enlarged. Finally, after a year of visiting physicians and hospitals, a physician at West Virginia University Hospital determined her condition and arranged for a surgeon to be flown in for Bevy’s surgeries.