Ramona Martin Phillips

Ramona Martin Phillips, born Ramona June Martin, known to all as “Mona” (and to some as “Monsie”), passed peacefully in the early morning hours of December 19, 2025, at the age of 65, her life cut too short by acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Few have battled disease with more elegance, grace, and bravery than Mona.

Mona was a woman of deep love and selfless sacrifice for her family and friends, often giving of herself far more than was expected or even deserved. While cliché, she was indeed the brightest light in any room. Even when she most assuredly experienced pain, grief, or hardship, she never allowed those realities to dim her warmth or generosity of spirit, publicly or even in her close circle of friends. No small part of her grace and strength was learned at the knee of her beloved grandmother, Lucille McKinney Roan. Mona, as her grandmother, did not judge others and stubbornly resisted the efforts of those who would lobby her to prematurely do so. Each human she came across was given almost boundless opportunities to convince her that they were not deserving of her love and compassion. Some referred to Mona’s (and her grandmother’s) perspective as wearing “rose-colored glasses”—if so, it was a distinct and conscious choice she made every day of her life.

At the time of her death, Mona was at home in Austin, cared for in what the family lovingly called the “Phillips Infirmary,” established in the great room of their residence in August. She was attended to, comforted, and deeply loved at her bedside by her husband, Stephen Lynn Phillips; her sons, Bryan William Phillips, III and Calvin Vail Phillips; and her daughter, Abigail Naomi Phillips, all of whom survive her. She is also survived by Bryan’s spouse, Andreina (“Nina”) Medina Lopez; Abigail’s spouse, David Segura; and Abby and David’s children—Mona’s beloved grandchildren—Cash Segura and Daisy Segura. Also at her bedside was Steve’s elementary school and life-long friend John S. Underwood who provided immeasurable support and comfort to Mona and us in the last days.

Mona is also survived by her nephews, David Roan Martin, Jr., of Minneapolis, and Devin Taylor Martin, of Fort Worth, the sons of her only sibling, David Roan Martin, Sr. (U.S. Army, ret.), who predeceased her.

Mona was born on February 7, 1960, on an Air Force base in Kittery, Maine, during a blizzard—perhaps explaining her lifelong affection for cold, cloudy weather filled with snow and ice. Weeks later, she was whisked away to the warmer confines of Austin by her parents, Naomi Roan Martin and Frances June Martin (USAF Captain; World War II and Korean War veteran). Austin was also home to her grandparents, Lucille McKinney Roan (Gray-Hamby) and Forrest Calvin Roan, Sr. All of these beloved ancestors preceded Mona in death long ago; she was present at almost all of their bedsides in their final moments.

Raised primarily in Austin, Mona attended Bryker Woods Elementary School and middle school in Austin, but spent her high school years in Grapevine, Texas, where she graduated from Grapevine High School (GHS). Performing as part of the GHS “Fillies” drill team, she once took to the Texas Stadium turf as part of a Cowboys game half-time show. It was there at GHS that her true and pure soprano voice first drew notice and attention. After high school she enrolled in the applied voice program on scholarship at Tyler Junior College and later returned to Austin after she was accepted into the University of Texas-Austin applied voice and piano program.

Her high school and college summers were filled with serving as a camp counselor at the Running R Ranch Summer Day camp, founded and operated by Grandmother Lucille and coach Fred Akers on a family ranch east of Austin. Her horsemanship and swimming prowess taught many, many campers the ropes. Those days were among the fondest of her life and former campers undoubtedly remember her, Lucille, Freddie, and the camp with great affection.

Fate intervened, however, when she caught the eye of her husband-to-be while they were colleagues in the Sergeant at Arms Office of the Texas House of Representatives. Steve noticed the cute, bubbly brunette (the blonde locks came later) with bright red lipstick at the House receptionist’s desk whom everyone chatted with; almost immediately, he began his ultimately successful pursuit of her heart.

Mona and Steve were married on January 9, 1982, at First United Methodist Church, Austin. She proceeded to support Steve through accounting and law school at UT-Austin. That support included washing windows along the Drag and beyond, managing a self-storage facility, and taking on countless other odd jobs as needed. As Steve graduated and pursued his law career, she set about birthing and raising children and became a champion classroom and carpool mom. Upon founding a family, her musical ambitions were set aside and sacrificed to supporting and nurturing her family. Her talents, however, were never forgotten—she remained in steady demand for church and community choirs and special performances at weddings and other occasions. Even while raising her children (which often included husband, Steve), she also found time to serve others as a member of the Austin Women’s Symphony League, the Austin Junior League, the Richardson Junior League (during a stint in Plano following Steve’s career), and other organizations.

Mona eventually found and answered what would become her life’s calling—aside from her devotion to family: Nurturing and guiding literally hundreds of preschool children, initially at First Presbyterian Church Day School and later at St. Martin’s Lutheran Day School. “Ms. Mona” was adored by every one of those children and deeply appreciated by their parents as well as her colleagues. Mona diligently and lovingly cared for each child as if they were her own. In early May, just days before being diagnosed with AML and with her health failing for then-unknown reasons, she persisted in moving heaven and earth to be physically present at St. Martin’s to manage graduation and other end-of-year activities for her current classroom of “babies.” She regrettably did not quite make it, a fact that troubled her greatly as she lay in the hospital.

Along the path of life, Mona gathered a close circle of sisters-in-love—dear friends who became lifelong companions over decades, many of whom traveled with her throughout the United States and abroad. When travel was not possible, however, there was always a reason to gather. Many of those moments centered on the monthly Bunco parties—though for those in the know, the game itself was merely a pretense and was often forgotten; what truly mattered to Mona was the laughter, the stories, and the friendships she so lovingly kept alive as one of the group’s ringleaders. Cindy Benson, Beth Menke, Stephanie Finley, Joan James, Edie Lyttle, Nguyen Adams, and others survive her just as surely as does her family. As she was for her family, she was a steady rock and source of comfort when life’s trials and tribulations arose for them.

There are others that enjoyed Mona’s love and spirit including her surviving mother and father-in-laws and sister- and brother-in-laws, all of whom she loved but probably none as much as Flavil “Flavebo” Phillips, her brother-in-law. Time and distance prevented her from enjoying their company and vice-versa as often as desired. But she was quick to provide comfort in time of need to them and particularly her mother- and step-father-in-laws, Carol and Garth Jowett. They survive her and will miss her forever. So will we all.

Mona is also survived by the last two animals that she was able to cuddle with and love—pups Blue and Rodeo who were also at her bedside (and even on her bed for Blue) as she slipped away. Before them, there had been dozens upon dozens of dogs, cats, birds, and more that enjoyed Mona’s love.

The family extends its deepest gratitude to the team at The Sarah Cannon Blood Cancer Center at St. David’s South Austin Medical Center, 6th Floor, including Dr. Faheem Ahmed, his colleagues, nurses, care technicians, research assistants, cleaning staff, and meal service staff. They are quite simply heroes. Their loving care gave Mona seven precious months she otherwise would not have had. In addition to this remarkable team, the family is especially grateful for the care of physician assistant Whitney Quitta Dhyne, whose compassion was made all the more meaningful by the special and coincidental connection of her twin daughters being preschool students in Mona’s classroom. The family also offers heartfelt thanks to the nurses and therapists of Enhabit Healthcare and Hospice, who cared for Mona and her family at home with extraordinary compassion and grace.

While all of her immediate family—including Steve, Bryan, and Nina—were called into service to support and care for Mona in the hospital and at home, special thanks and love are owed to her youngest child, Cal: After Mona returned home from a months’ long stint at St. David’s in mid-August, he became her full-time caregiver, healthcare and personal care provider, and even her personal chef. No visit to the clinic was possible without Cal providing a rundown on medications, vitals history, etc. Before that, he was more often than not the designated overnight caretaker in her hospital room. Cal gave his mother and father a home life in the past many months that would not have been possible or conceivable without him. No child could have done more for their mother.

Some of Mona’s friends will be left out here inadvertently or due to limitations of time and space, but special love and thanks to our Tree Fern Lane cul-de-sac neighbors where she resided for a large portion of her life. They continue to shower us with love and comfort.

If you knew Monsie at all, you respected and loved her and you will undoubtedly weep at her passing. But, as Mona did throughout her life, do not linger with your grief too long. Instead, let her legacy be that each day you will love a little harder, be a little more compassionate, forgive a little more quickly, and be a little less likely to judge than you were the day before. Put on rose-colored glasses more often than not.

Mona’s remains are in the care of Weed-Corley-Fish Funeral Home on Parkcrest Drive in Austin; a memorial and interment of her ashes will ultimately occur at Riverbend Remembrance Memorial Gardens, probably on a cold and wintry day if we are afforded one in the New Year.

In lieu of flowers, etc. please consider a memorial contribution to Blood Cancer United (formerly, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society), the Lucille Roan-Gray Endowed Presidential Scholarship in Music at UT-Austin School of Music, or to another charity of your choice.