June Phillips, our inspiration for Gathered & Good
Note: We wanted our first post to be about the woman who was our inspiration for this shop and much more.
June Phillips was our mother, grandmother, and great grandmother.
She was our hero.
June Phillips spent her whole life in the Texas Hill Country, giving more than she took.
While raising six children with her husband, Les Phillips–who was a lifelong counselor at Fredericksburg and Harper High Schools–June also worked in the Middle School office.
When her kids were grown, June volunteered for every organization she could.
She was a founding and lifelong member of the Greater Fredericksburg Habitat for Humanity. They honored her by creating a scholarship in her name.
With her time and money, she supported Meals on Wheels, the Fredericksburg Food Pantry, Hill Country Needs Council, and the school reading program OTTER. She was active in First Baptist Church, working in the office, singing in the choir, and participating in every program.
On her own, and very quietly, she helped out many in town, feeding young families, and counseling people struggling with divorce, legal issues, or just hard times.
June left us in 2017, on to the heavenly reward she believed in and deserved. When we were trying to choose an appropriate name for our soon-to-be open shop, we felt June was guiding us.
We came to the word “gathered” not only because it referred to goods we could gather for our customers’ homes, but also for its meaning of creating opportunities for people to gather and share special times. Because June Phillips taught us that you create everlasting memories when you bring people together.
The word “good” came from the goodness she taught, lived, and showed everyone she ever came in contact with. From strangers she invited to Thanksgiving to letters she wrote to people in prison. Her kindness knew no boundaries.
We realized “Gathered & Good” was the right name for our shop when we noticed the initials were “GG.” GG was the name our first granddaughter called her, short for Great Grandma.
Thank you for helping us honor the legacy and life of our mother. We hope your experience coming into our shop will create similar special memories in your home and your life.
