Christina Sue (née Phillips) Allison, formerly of Elkhart, IN, passed away peacefully of natural causes in Edwards, MO, on February 4, 2026. She was born on June 9, 1950, in Bloomington, IN, to the late Joseph Mitten Phillips Sr. and Phyllis Jane (Manthe) Phillips. A sister, Diana Lee Phillips, predeceased her in 2017.
She is survived by her devoted son, Aaron (wife Renee) Phillips; granddaughter Sage Phillips; and grandson Kole Phillips, all of Bellevue, NE; as well as her brother, Joseph Mitten Phillips Jr. (husband Robert Safro), of Washington, DC; and cousin Pamela Miller of Albuquerque, NM.
The family would also like to acknowledge many other caring family members, friends, and neighbors, including Bill and Kenna Allison of Speedway, IN; Barb Muller of Edwards, MO, and her family; Deb Hogan of Elkhart, IN; Jim Bollero of Elkhart, IN; Nancy Bollero Caslick of Oceanside, OR; Stacey and Daryle Donahue of Avondale, AZ; and Brady Hodge of Cheyenne, WY.
During the 1950s, shortly after Chris was born, the Phillips family lived in Arlington, VA, where Chris’s father worked for the precursor to the National Security Agency. Chris was a graduate of Elkhart Central High School and Purdue University, and she studied folklore at Indiana University in pursuit of a master’s degree.
She later lived in Montgomery, AL; Colorado Springs, CO; and Edwards, MO. Chris worked in banking and was a longtime real estate appraiser. She was also a talented hammer dulcimer player and a lover of animals, especially strays.
Perhaps the most memorable animal Chris “rescued” was a baby alligator (appropriately named Okefenokee) that she bought as a teenager at a local pet store.
She then snuck it into a bathtub at the family’s home to startle her unsuspecting sister Diana — a lover of long, leisurely baths. One loud shriek a few seconds later confirmed that Chris’s efforts had not been in vain.
Arrangements are under the direction of Reser Funeral Home 101 W. Main Street, Warsaw.
