PHILLIPS - Patricia M. (nee Deck) January 12, 2020. Beloved wife of the late Stanley F. Phillips; dear mother of James, Paul, Thomas and the late Daniel Phillips; grandmother of Calista, Melissa, John, Hannah and Sarah Jane; sister of Thomas and the late Gregory, Jr., Frank, Paul Deck and Elizabeth Gruntz. No prior visitation. Family and friends are invited to attend a Mass of Christian Burial from Christ the King RC Church, Snyder, Saturday, February 22, at 11 AM. In lieu of flowers, memorials to the Sierra Leone VillagePartnership at www.slvp.com. Condolences at www.denglerrobertspernafuneral.com
Patricia Phillips, wife of former Delaware North vice chairman Stanley Phillips, died Jan. 12 in Charlotte, N.C. She was 89.
Born in Buffalo, the former Patricia Deck was the fourth of six children and the daughter of Gregory J. Deck, who founded the Deco Restaurant chain in 1918.
She attended the Seminary of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart at Stella Niagara in Lewiston and earned a business degree from D’Youville College.
She and her husband were married in 1952 after meeting at the University at Buffalo Newman Club.
When Deco was acquired by Sportservice, a predecessor to Delaware North, in 1961, she and her husband became acquainted with the Jacobs family. Mr. Phillips ended up working full-time for the company several years later.
For several years, Mrs. Phillips arranged bookings for parties at Buffalo Raceway.
The mother of four boys, she and her husband entertained many celebrities – including former Buffalo Bills coach Chuck Knox, baseball great Stan Musial, comedian Marty Allen and jazz legend Al Hirt – at their home in Snyder and summer cottage in Long Beach, Ont.
She and her husband moved to Naples, Fla., following his retirement in 1996.
They moved to Charlotte in 2013 to be near their son, Tom.
“She was an excellent cook and loved to share her joy for life,” her son, Jim, said, “and was always there to lend a helping hand.”
She was a member of the Amherst Garden Club and was active in Catholic Charities.
Her husband died in 2016.
Survivors include another son, Paul; a brother, Thomas Deck; and five grandchildren.
A Memorial Mass will be offered at 11 a.m. Saturday in Christ the King Catholic Church, 30 Lamarck Drive at Main Street, Snyder.
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