Sherma A. Phillips

Sherma Anastasia Phillips, affectionately known as “Sherms,” “True Mathematics Primus,” and “Auntie Aunt Sherma” was born on December 30, 1956, at San Fernando General Hospital in Trinidad and Tobago to Eileen Primus Phillips and Lionel Frederick Phillips. She was their eighth child.
Sherma grew up in Gonzales Village, Guapo. She was educated at Guapo Government School and Point Fortin Intermediate RC. Sherma completed her studies at Trinzuela Secretarial College. It is there that she learned to type at 100 words per minute. When asked about her quest for education, Sherma would often state that she looked up to her five older brothers and two sisters who were all educational giants. In 1976, Sherma made a brave, life-changing choice to move to the United States while pregnant with her first- born child. Shortly after, on February 5th, 1977, she gave birth to Sherwin K. Phillips in Washington DC. Supported by her immediate family as a single mother, Sherma began building her legacy.
Sherma used her remarkable shorthand typing skills to begin a career at Bell Atlantic. To help sustain the financial needs of her family, she also worked as a Certified Nursing Assistant at Powhatan Nursing Home in Arlington, Virginia. She was successful in these endeavors because of her unique ability think outside the box. Her perseverance and hard work day and night drove her to success and self-fulfillment.
While still fighting to keep her independence, on December 10th, 1987, Sherma gave birth to her second child, Joshua E. Francis at Fairfax Hospital. As a single mother, she always strived to give her sons the very best. Sherma did so with class, grace, and her fabulous chains. This is nothing but the truth!
Shema was a dynamic person who lived her life on the go and was always the party starter. From Marvin Gaye to David Rudder, she was the first to hit the dance floor. When not ruling the dance floor, she was an avid card player. She was always ready for a game of “All Fours” or “Spades,” with a pack of cards and a pad for keeping scores for all players. What may surprise you about Sherma was that she was also a self-made auto mechanic, fixing her car whenever needed. She was also a philanthropist who would often spend holidays serving food to the homeless in Washington DC.
On December 14th, 2022, Sherma was given her wings at Fair Oaks Hospital in Fairfax, Virginia. She was 65 years old. She is preceded in death by: her father Lionel Phillips, her mother Eileen Primus Phillips, her sister Val, her brother Purnell, her sister Yvonne, her brother Keith, her sister Marcia, and her brothers in law: Leslie Williams and Hallam Harrison.
Those who will forever cherish her precious memory are: her two sons Sherwin and Joshua, her grandchildren: Kephrean and Jabari, her brothers: Glen, Kent, Kuir, Phil, Ron, Vaul, Sterling, Wayne, and Stokely, her sisters: Lyris, Kendra, Pearl, and Cora, her nieces: Shelley, Tricia, Charisee, Iana, Kaffi, Colleen, Camille, Calisha, Akila, Christalle, Sasha, Marisa, Ebony, LaToya, Ashley, Kenisha, Tahira, Angel, Natasha, Jordanna, Kiara, Gabriella and Isabella, her nephews: Nigel, Lewin, Pernell, Sean, Kerry, Koffie, Kendeon, Kirby, Brian, Keiron, Kerwin, Jabri, Collin, Ishmael and Vaul Jr., her in-laws: Linda, Wynette, Ida, Bernadette, Sharon, Thelma, Merle, Othel, and Mara, her great-nieces and nephews: Jaydon, Neveah, Myles, Josiah, Gabriel, aka Roll Doggie, Marvelous, Sienna and Legend, treasured family: Steddy Primus, Ann Marie Bethel, Marva White, The Primus Family, The Jeffries Family, The Davy Family, The Hacksaw Family, The Roldan Family The Price Family, and a host of beloved family and friends.

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