Elaine Beverly Mika Phillips Stuart, 87, of Clifford Township, PA, passed away on Saturday, May 9, 2026 with her family by her side. She was born on November 15, 1938 in Berwick, PA and was the only child of Adolph J. Mika and Mary Lucille (Eveland) Mika.

Elaine grew up on a farm in Orangeville, PA, and graduated from Bloomsburg High School. She married Marlyn Phillips of Berwick where they resided before eventually moving south to Warminster, PA. She and Marlyn eventually divorced but raised two children, Debra and Mark. Elaine suffered from severe alcoholism and addiction, losing many years to failed recovery attempts before hitting rock bottom and being committed into a state hospital. During her illness, she remarried for a brief period and then divorced. When all hope seemed lost, a drug and alcohol counselor named Frank Walls successfully helped Elaine to find her way back to herself and overcome her illness once and for all. Her family credits him with saving her life. We are forever grateful. With Walls’ support, Elaine secured employment at Sheehy Ford in Philadelphia as secretary to owner Roy “Chappy” Chapman. Chappy, who would eventually become the proud owner of Triple Crown candidate Smarty Jones, was no stranger to ambition and understood Elaine’s desire to transcend her secretarial role. He and Bob Golden offered her the chance to learn the Finance & Insurance (F&I) function of the car dealership business. Elaine seized this opportunity, working nights for free to learn the ropes and eventually becoming an F&I assistant. She went on to complete the Ford Life Finance and Insurance certification program in Dearborn, Michigan and, in time, became a top F&I manager at the Sheehy Import Center in West Chester, PA. Elaine then relocated back to her roots in northeast PA where she purchased a house for her parents and helped to establish and run the F&I department at Bear Chrysler (Plymouth, Dodge, Jeep, Eagle & Dodge Trucks) in Berwick, PA, working for Leroy Diehl, Jr. She enjoyed a wonderful career there until her retirement. She spent her final years with her son and daughter-in-law in beautiful Clifford, PA.

Elaine’s story is truly incredible and inspiring. She was a person of great character and strength, two traits very common in recovered addicts. It’s never too late to heal. Her life is proof of that.

She is survived by her daughter: Debra (Phillips) McBratney of Orangeville, PA; son: Mark Phillips and his wife, Suzanne (Taylor) Phillips of Clifford, PA; grandson: Joseph McBratney IV. of Berwick, PA and granddaughter: Hannah L. Phillips of Bothell, Washington; her son’s in-laws: Bob and Diane Petrucci of Olyphant, PA; and many cousins.

In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her first husband and father of her children, Marlyn Phillips on March 15, 2015 and her son-in-law, Joseph McBratney III. on June 9, 2006.

Services will be private as were her and her family’s wishes. She will be interred at Roselawn Cemetery in Berwick, PA.

Arrangements by Shifler-Parise Funeral Home and Services, Clifford, PA.