Jeannine Phillips Rooks

Jeannine Phillips Rooks, 95, of Albany, Georgia, passed away peacefully at her home on December 26, 2024. Born in Damascus, Georgia on September 24, 1929, to Annie Belle and Cecil Ashley Phillips, she dedicated her life to her family, faith, and a career in the business and fashion industries that spanned her entire lifetime. Known to her loving family and friends as “Jean” in the city, and “Jeannine” in the country, she was a proud graduate of Miller County High School in Colquitt, GA (Class of 1945). Upon graduation from high school, Jean and her sister, Helen, left the family farm in Damascus for the “Big City” of Atlanta, where they both attended and worked their way through college, and each of them met their husbands. Jean lived in Atlanta from 1946 – 1968, where she had four children with her late husband, John R. Fox and afterwards she moved her family to Southwest Georgia to be closer to her family and her strong roots in Damascus, eventually setting in Albany. Jean’s life exemplified strength, courage, and determination, coupled with her refined beauty and poise, which made her a remarkable mother, grandmother and friend to all who met her. In her later years, Jean especially enjoyed attending Albany’s Tift Park Community Market, where she made lasting impressions on all who came to know and love her and called her “Mama.” Her remarkable path includes motherhood, academic achievement, professional success, including owning and operating Sowega Car Rental and excelling in designer fashion and cosmetic sales, fashion styling, both at Regenstein’s of Atlanta and Jason’s of Albany for several years. Jean began her beauty and fashion career at Regenstein’s Department Store of Atlanta, working for Estee Lauder and Ida Stewart. She was very proud of her handwritten postcard sent to her in 1966 from Paris by Estee Lauder and Joseph Lauder from Paris, “Our very best wishes and greetings from our new Paris office, Warmest regards, Estee’ and Joseph Lauder.” She made numerous business trips over the years to New York with Jason’s of Albany, and was most known by her beloved customers as their go to salesperson who could outfit every woman to look their very best. She was preceded in death by her parents, Annie Belle and Cecil Phillips, her son, John Phillip Fox, two brothers, Wayne Phillips and Milton Phillips, and her sister Sarah Phillips, and her husband and the father of her four children, John Rufus Fox. Jean is survived by three daughters, Vickie Fox Dorminey (Len), Mary Fox Newcomb (Ned), Julianne Fox Snow, and six grandchildren, Gena Dorminey, Ryan Dorminey (Betsy), Burton Newcomb (Nicole), Edward Newcomb, Lauren Snow, and Haley Snow, and her great grandchildren Frances Jane Dorminey, and August Elizabeth Rose Turner, who brought her immense joy and pride. She is also survived by her sister Helen Phillips Henning, and two brothers Martine Phillips and Don Phillips. Jean was also a woman of enduring faith. During her 95 years she was a member of Macedonia Freewill Baptist Church, Wieuca Road Baptist Church in Atlanta, and Sherwood Baptist Church of Albany. A graveside service will be held at her home church, Macedonia Freewill Baptist Church on the Phillipsburg Road in Damascus, GA, at 11am on Monday, December 30. Those desiring to make memorials are encouraged to remember St. Paul’s Episcopal Church’s Memorial Garden Fund, 212 North Jefferson Street, Albany, GA 31701, or a local charity of your choice.

Jeannine Phillips Rooks

September 24, 1929 - December 26, 2024