Maria Theresa Phillips

Maria Theresa Aguilar Phillips

October 6, 1954 - March 17, 2025

“I thank my God for every remembrance of you.” Philippians 1:3

Maria Theresa Aguilar Phillips of Solberg, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands was born on October 6, 1954 in Virac, Catanduanes, Bicol, Philippines to Lolita Ramos Aguilar and Nicandro Ras Aguilar. She was the third of six children, and affectionately known as Girlie amongst her family. Theresa attended Quirino Elementary School, Quezon City and later Trinity High School where she excelled and graduated with honors. Due to her vast capability Theresa was accepted to the most prestigious university in the Philippines, University of the Philippines, Dilman, Quezon City where she gained both a Bachelor’s of Arts in Economics and a Masters in Urban and Regional Planning. After graduation Theresa worked at multiple places with the Philippines government but spent a majority of her young career at the National Electrification Administration (NEA) from 1977-1987 where she eventually became the Chief of the Research Group, Corporate Planning Office.

Theresa had a great sense of adventure often traveling to various places within the Philippines. Therefore when the opportunity arose, Theresa made the pivotal decision to move to the United States. Assisted by her uncle (Dr. Alexis Ramos) and aunt (Dr. Orchid Fallaria) who had preceded her arrival, Theresa agreed to migrate to St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. In 1987, Theresa agreed to be the travel companion of her maternal grandmother (Lucena Ramos) as she moved to the U.S. and planned to only stay for a year to help her adjust to her new environment; however what she thought was a temporary arrangement would become a complete new chapter of her life.

During the year she decided to enroll at the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) to pursue an additional Masters in Business Administration. It was during this time at UVI where she would meet the man who would eventually become her husband and life partner. As a part of the curriculum, she was required to take a handful of electives—ultimately landing on a Sociology course. She quickly learned that she quite enjoyed the subject and was intrigued by Dr. Dion E. Phillips, the enthusiastic professor who taught it. After successfully completing the course, she and Dion developed a friendship that eventually blossomed into love.

On August 13, 1990 they were married at the Dorothea Estate along the cliffside in Dorthea, St. Thomas amongst family and friends. A few years later on April 22, 1993 the couple was blessed with their first and only child, Ernest Owen Nicandro, whom they both have adored ever since. The new family of three moved from Central St. Thomas to the beautiful hills of Solberg, St. Thomas.

When arriving in the U.S. Theresa simultaneously began a new and fulfilling career as a teacher spanning more than 30 years between Mount Zion Academy, Saints Peter’s and Paul Catholic School and most principally Charlotte Amalie High School where she focused on teaching algebra and geometry to 9th graders. Throughout her teaching career, she received many accolades and was often voted best teacher of the year. Even after her retirement in December 2019, it was rare for her to go grocery shopping or run errands without being recognized by former students and greeted with a big hug. For a short time Theresa once again returned to working for the government and obtained a job at the Office of Management and Budget, however she found that she no longer enjoyed the relative mundaneness of office life as well as enjoyed molding young minds and promptly returned to teaching at Charlotte Amalie High School.

During their retirements, Theresa and Dion enjoyed traveling especially to visit their son Ernest—who after graduating from Antilles School in St. Thomas moved to Florida for his undergraduate and graduate studies and subsequently moved to Maryland. Theresa was very proud of her son, Ernest, and encouraged him to pursue all of his interests. They had a special mother-son bond and spoke nearly each day. The couple would also go on to travel to destinations including to the Philippines, Barbados, Israel, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Trinidad, and Turkey. Most recently, Maria Theresa traveled to Italy in October 2024 to celebrate her platinum birthday. She came back home ecstatic about the “trip of a lifetime” that she shared with her dear niece, Hazel Ann Aguilar Casagrande, in which they bounced from city-to-city beginning in Barcelona, then Rome, then Livorno and ending in Florence, Italy over the course of two weeks.

Theresa was an avid gardener fostering an array of beautiful flowers, delicious produce, and a haven for hummingbirds. She would rarely go a day without putting out sugar water for the dozens of hummingbirds; as well as watering and talking to her plants—which she firmly believed helped them thrive. Theresa was baptized into the Seventh-day Adventist Church in 1999. Theresa, alongside Dion, was a pillar in their home church community, the Maranatha Seventh-day Adventist Church in Lindberg Bay, St. Thomas. Over the years she served as Sabbath School Superintendent as well as head counselor of the Adventures Club, would often provide baked goods for a variety of church events, and was instrumental for various church programs. Theresa had such a generous spirit that overflowed. She was a dedicated volunteer with various food pastries throughout the island to meet the needs of the Virgin Islands community; and was also known to regularly drop off food for unhoused individuals she encountered regularly during her daily commute.

Theresa bravely fought against an unexpected and untimely illness. She met her Maker on the evening of March 17, 2025 in Germantown, Maryland surrounded by immediate family. She leaves to cherish her memory—her loving husband, Dion E. Phillips; doting son, Ernest O. N. Phillips (Deja Rivera); siblings: Brothers: Bartolome R. Aguilar (Victoria Aguilar), Jose Aguilar (Flora Aguilar), Nicandro Aguilar (Alma Aguilar), Glenn Phillips, Sister: Maria Elena Aguilar, Sonja Taylor (Robert Taylor Jr.), nephews: Allen Aguilar, Ryan Aguilar, Patrick Aguilar, Robert Taylor III, Jeffery Aguilar, James Aguilar, Jon Aguilar and John Aguilar. Nieces: Hazel Cassagrande, Aiza Aguilar, Mariette Phillips, Karla Aguilar, Katrina Aguilar, Nica Aguilar, Michella Aguilar, Kristel Aguilar, Ashley Aguilar, Emily Aguilar, Sheryl Aguilar, Ayttee Aguilar, Pauline Aguilar, Mirasol Aguilar, Juianne Aguilar. Close friends, Lilibeth Salido, Laurel Payne, Antoineete Flemming, Consorcia Cruz, Aurora Martin, Becky Leddee, Joselito Rosal, Merlin Henderson, Salome Soriano, Emeer Soriano, Estrelle Asidao and many other friends and numerous others whose lives she undoubtedly touched.