Jon M. Sweeney - Phyllis Tickle: A Life

1934

Phyllis Alexander (middle name Natalie added by the family later) born March 12 to Philip Wade Alexander and Katherine Ann Porter Alexander. Spends childhood in Johnson City, Tennessee.

1951

Enrolls at Shorter College, Rome, Georgia, at seventeen on full academic scholarship.

1955

Graduates East Tennessee State. On June 17, marries Samuel Milton Tickle, whom she met when he was exactly thirteen months old and I exactly six weeks... in the newborn nursery at First Presbyterian Church. In September, begins teaching Latin and English in the Memphis public schools.

1957

After several miscarriages, gives birth to daughter Nora on June 8.

1958

Moves with Sam and Nora to Pelzer, South Carolina, where Sam works as a country doctor. Gives birth to Mary in October the following year.

1960

Appointed a graduate fellow at Furman University, Greenville, South Carolina.

196162

Earns Master of Arts, Furman. Family moves to 210 N. Waldran, Memphis. Third daughter, Laura, is born.

196265

Lecturer, Rhodes College; instructor, Memphis Academy of Arts.

196571

Dean of humanities, Memphis Academy. Publishes first book, An Introduction to the Patterns of Indo-European Speech, August 1968. First son, John Crockett, born July 10, 1970.

1971

In late May, gives birth to second son, Philip Wade, who tragically and violently dies of pneumonia two weeks later.

1972

Begins to plan St. Lukes Press with friends from the Memphis Academy. Teaches poetry for the Tennessee Arts Commission. Begins publishing poems in magazines and journals. Sam Jr. born in July.

1974

Second book, a chancel drama about the Hebrew prophet Jeremiah, Figs and Fury, privately published; then produced by Grace-St. Lukes Episcopal Church in Memphis and published in a second edition by St. Lukes two years later.

1975

More St. Lukes volumes published, authored by Phyllis. Rebecca, seventh and last child, born February 10. Eldest daughter Nora marries (at eighteen) in May the following year.

1977

The family, sans Nora, moves to the Farm in Lucy, the subject of much of Phylliss subsequent oeuvre.

197787

Poet-in-Residence, Memphis Brooks Museum of Art.

1983

Selections, first volume of poems, published.

1985

First volume of what became a trilogy of books of personal, spiritual essays, published by The Upper Room.

1989

St. Lukes Press purchased by Peachtree Publishers in Atlanta; Phyllis retained as senior editor. Two years later, she retires from publishing.

1992

Recruited by Publishers Weekly to be founding religion editor. Begins to track enormous growth in the publishing of, and demand for, religious and spiritual books in the U.S.

1995

Re-Discovering the Sacred, her first book-length work on religion trends. God-Talk in America follows in 1998.

1999

First lucrative book contract, for The Divine Hours.

2000

First Divine Hours volume (Prayers for Summertime) published in March, marking the beginning of a decade exploring the ancient roots of Christian faith.

2001

The Shaping of a Life, autobiography, published April 17.

2004

Retires from Publishers Weekly. Receives honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Berkeley School of Divinity at Yale.

20067

Receives Award of Honor from East Tennessee State. Various spin-offs of The Divine Hours published.

2008

The Great Emergence published and becomes rapid success. Phyllis recognized as the historian of Emergence Christianity.

2009

Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from North Park University. Continues to lecture, traveling thirty weeks a year.

2014

Celebrates eightieth birthday in Denver at Christianity21 Conference, and at Fuller Seminary in Anaheim during public events for a festschrift published in her honor. Retires from active traveling and public speaking.

2015

Buries husband, Sam, in January. Stage four lung cancer diagnosed in April. Spends summer at home in Lucy, gathering poems in preparation for a final volume: an autobiography of sorts. Dies in her sleep the morning of September 22.