Cover photo for Phyllis Whitehead's Obituary
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1932 Phyllis 2025

Phyllis Whitehead

September 20, 1932 — October 4, 2025

With sadness, we share that Phyllis Whitehead, 93, formerly of Foxboro, passed away unexpectedly on Oct. 4, 2025 at Bay Lake Retirement Community in Virginia Beach, Va., where she was loved.


She was the wife of Rev. R. Jack Whitehead, longtime pastor at Bethany Congregational Church in Foxboro, who died in 2016.

Born Sept. 20, 1932, she was raised in northwestern Pennsylvania and had worked as a hospital lab tech before her marriage in 1954, after which her husband left for military service in Germany. He returned to earn a graduate degree at Westminster Choir College, while she studied voice, organ and joined choirs.


After her husband's call to Christian ministry, the family served New England churches, most notably for 23 years at Bethany Church, where her music ministry was ever present.

Phyllis also enjoyed a lengthy teaching career, initially at the Gordon School in Rhode Island and, later, for 22 years at the Ahern Middle School in Foxboro.


The couple retired to Kingston, R.I. in 1994.


Phyllis was an avid reader and lifelong learner. She enjoyed her neighbors, the church, music, arts, the Creation, the YMCA and dear time with loved ones. After Jack's death, she relocated to Virginia near her son.


She is survived by a daughter, Diane (Paul) Gates of Franklin, Vt., and son, Steven Whitehead (Linda) of Virginia Beach, Va.; their children and grandchildren. In addition to her husband, she was predeceased by a daughter, Andrea Lynn, who died at age 3 of leukemia; her parents, Arthur and Mabel Hill; and a brother, Richard Hill of Columbus, Pa.


Calling hours will be Tuesday, October 28th, 2025 from 5 to 7 PM in the Avery-Storti Funeral Home, 88 Columbia St., Wakefield, R.I. A celebration of life will be held at 10 AM Wednesday, October 29th, 2025 at the Kingston Congregational Church, 2610 Kingstown Road, Kingston R.I.


She will be interred with her husband in a private ceremony at the Rhode Island Veterans Cemetery in Exeter. May they live in the Song Eternal.


Our family is grateful for assistance given our mother by Home Instead - most of all her dear CNA, Connie, who has been a sunbeam for over two years. She was the best Mom and Grammy and is dearly missed.


In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial donation to Blood Cancer United (bloodcancerunited.org), or to her beloved churches: Bethany in Foxboro, Kingston Congregational in Rhode Island or Galilee in Virginia Beach.

To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Phyllis Whitehead, please visit our flower store.

Service Schedule

Upcoming Services

Visitation

Tuesday, October 28, 2025

5:00 - 7:00 pm (Eastern time)

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Avery-Storti Funeral Home & Crematory

88 Colombia St, Wakefield, RI 02879

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Funeral Service

Wednesday, October 29, 2025

10:00 - 11:00 am (Eastern time)

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Kingston Congregational Church

2610 Kingstown Road, Kingston, RI 02881

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