Charlynn Phillips

Charlynn Phillips died on Tuesday, June 2, 2020, due to complications from COVID-19. Charlynn, who was 51 years old, was a senior officer at the Federal Correctional Complex in Butner, North Carolina. The loving and caring mother, sister, and friend lived in Winston-Salem with her son. She spent a lot of her time taking care of her older sister, who is in a long-term care facility, and she took on the mother role in caring for her family members after her mother passed away due to an illness. 

Charlynn worked in the low-security area of the prison where high levels of coronavirus cases have broken out, according to staff. The flare up in COVID-19 cases also affected people incarcerated there, including six who had died in the eight days around the time Charlynn passed away. Charlynn’s death due to COVID-19 was a reminder of how “this disease is dangerous,” said Tamara Lyn, the warden of the low-security prison at Butner, to The News & Observer. 

Charlynn’s father, Alexander Phillips, had been worried about her catching the virus, but he said that she did not want people to worry or know about the issues with the virus within the correctional facilities. He said her death was a shock to the family. “I had just talked to her a few weeks ago and we were laughing and talking, and then I got a call that she died,” he said. Her father said that she was a hard worker who was devoted to raising her son and to becoming a police officer. 

Charlynn Phillips was a dedicated worker, family member, and friend and will be missed dearly. We thank her for her service and care she bestowed upon others.

This memorial was written by MOL team member Maya Page with information from reporting by Dan Kane of The News & Observer.