Carol J. Bender Phillips, age 75 of Trumbull and Boynton Beach Florida, beloved wife of Gus Phillips, passed away suddenly on Tuesday, July 18, 2017 at Bridgeport Hospital. Carol was born in Brooklyn, NY, on March 4, 1942.  She was the daughter of the late Herman O. and Else Schoeller Bender.  She lived a joyous life filled with much love, happiness and adventure.  She began her career at age 18 as a flight attendant to pursue her dreams of traveling and seeing the world.  In her early years, she worked domestic flights all over the United States.  Later in her career she began working international flights where she became a Supervisor and then a Chief Purser.  Her international trips included Japan, South Korea, Argentina, England, Brazil, Germany, Vietnam and Uruguay.  She had a passion for learning and embracing the cultures of other nations.  She enjoyed telling stories and sharing her many experiences with others.  She was named Flight Attendant of the Year for United Airlines in 1983.  One of her greatest passions was traveling with her family all over the world.  She enjoyed nurturing her beautiful gardens, shopping, baking and many creative hobbies.  She was a loving, giving, supportive and a caring person to family, neighbors, friends and the community.  Everyone else’s needs always came before hers.  She enjoyed brightening everyone’s day with her quick wit.  In her very limited down time, she wrote humorous poems to entertain her friends and family.  She loved birds, her cats, completing jumbles and watching movies. In 1995, she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, which concluded her flying career.  She bravely battled the disease for 22 years.  Her beloved husband was her caregiver for the last several years of her life and devoted his life to making her comfortable. Survivors in addition to her beloved husband Gus include her devoted daughters; Stacey Phillips Huzi and husband Paul Huzi Jr., of Trumbull and Nancy Phillips Stair and husband Robert Stair of Newington, four cherished grandchildren Julia and Logan Huzi and Jack and Ella Stair, a brother William O. Bender, Sr. and the late Katherine of Mesa, AZ, nieces, nephews and Fritz, her cat. Friends may call Monday from 4:00 to 8:00p.m., at the Redgate – Hennessy Funeral Home, Main Street and Gorham Place, Trumbull. Funeral services will be held Tuesday at 11:00a.m., meeting directly in Nichols United Methodist Church, 35 Shelton Road, Trumbull, with the Rev. David R. Piscatelli, officiating. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to National Multiple Sclerosis Society, In memory of Carol J. Phillips, C/O Redgate- Hennessy Funeral Home, 4 Gorham Place, Trumbull, CT 06611. To send online condolences please visit www.redgatehennessy.com