August 6, 1940 - July 21, 2018
Mary Phillips (77) of Dallas, TX passed away suddenly of heart complications on July 21, 2018 at Parkland Hospital in Dallas.
Mary was born in Dougherty, Iowa to proud parents Joseph and Marguerite (Cooney) Mullen on August 6, 1940 but spent most of her formative years growing up in San Diego, CA where her father was stationed during World War II. She attended grammar school at St Brigid's Academy in Pacific Beach and high school at Academy of Our Lady of Peace where just last month she attended her 60th high school class reunion. After high school, Mary attended the University of San Diego and went on to teach grade school for five years in the San Diego Unified School District, as well as one year in Caripito, Venezuela. Shortly thereafter, she married and moved to Oklahoma City where she would start a family; and a successful 40-year law career.
Determined to pursue a career in law, she attended Oklahoma City University Law School at night while she was a loving mother to her two young boys during the day. In 1977, she received a Juris Doctor degree from OCU graduating with honors in the top 10% of her class (and one of only a few women at the time). After law school, Mary worked as an attorney for multiple publicly traded companies in Oklahoma City before landing with the Federal Depository Insurance Corporation in what would become a 30-year career with the Federal Government. Throughout that time, she worked as an attorney in multiple positions and various FDIC offices including Oklahoma City, Hartford and Dallas where she met many lifelong friends and colleagues until her recent retirement in early 2017.
Mary was a strong, smart, independent woman whose philosophy on life included enjoying many different activities and exploring the various wonders of the world. She was a 20-year survivor of breast cancer and was actively involved in such groups as the World Affairs Council, Dallas Ski Club, and Rotary Club of Dallas to name only a few. She enjoyed learning, the arts, reading, music, movies, sports, the beach and the mountains and staying physically and mentally fit. She loved to travel the world with recent excursions that included: swimming with great white sharks in South Africa, dining with (former) President Vicente Fox in Mexico and studying continuing education at Oxford University. But more than anything, she loved her family and most notably she loved spending time with her grandchildren.
She was a beloved mother, sister, grandmother, colleague and friend to so many. She is survived by loving sons Adam Linn Phillips of Las Vegas, NV, Gregory Mullen Phillips, and wife Jenny, of Dallas,TX along with adoring grandchildren William, Emily and Olivia Phillips. She is also survived by her loving brother Dr. Tom Mullen, and wife Sylvia, of Santa Cruz, CA, loving brother John Mullen, Esq., and wife Marci, of Carlsbad, CA along with many adoring nieces, nephews, in-laws and cousins. Preceding her in death are her mother and father.
Memorial service and burial for Mary will be held at a private family service in San Diego, CA where she will be laid to rest at Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery with her mother, father and beloved uncle Reverend Monsignor William Cooney. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Mary’s name to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Institute (www.komen.org) or the Genesis Women’s Shelter (www.genesisshelter.org)
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