Jean Phillips Mustin

Jean Phillips Mustin (née Jean Lee Phillips) passed away on April 28, 2026 after a long battle with vascular dementia. To those of us who loved her, she will always be remembered as a generous soul whose boundless love, big heart, and warm, welcoming smile will never be forgotten.

Born on November 16, 1946, in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania to Dorothy Jean and William Wesley Phillips, Sr., Jean was the eldest of five children—a role she carried with a mix of responsibility, pride and duty that would define her life. A bright and conscientious student, she attended Phoenixville Area High School ('64) before earning her nursing degree from Temple University ('67). It was there she met and married her first husband, Ron Chesnos. With him she became a mother to Kim and Kris.

While Jean's roots and family were in Pennsylvania, in her early twenties she made the bold choice to leave with her two, small children and start anew in Los Angeles. She met Ben Root and moved first to Brentwood then Manhattan Beach, where she and Ben married and welcomed another girl, Katie. The couple gave up beach living in 1976 and relocated to Hancock Park. There they created a full life filled with many friends from the neighborhood, Latham & Watkins, Marlborough and the Center for Early Education. In the early 1980's, Jean completed a Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Redlands and, after her fourth child Andy was born, earned her master's in social work from UCLA ('92), reflecting her enduring commitment to caring for others.

Professionally, Jean worked as a nurse and later as a social worker. She completed her residency hours at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, guiding families with compassion through dire medical and life challenges. She also embraced her entrepreneurial spirit, co-founding The Channel Road Inn with her business partner and friend Susan Zolla, renovating a stunning, historic landmark in the Santa Monica Canyon, which still operates today.

Jean and Ben parted in 1992, and Jean forged a new connection with her friend, Tom Mustin. They married on New Year's Eve, 1993 and moved with Andy to Coronado, creating a chapter where she helped Andy navigate the teenage years at Coronado High School. Her new community was full of lively, extended family with an impressive Naval history and she was honored by her role in The Society of Sponsors alongside her sisters-in-law Doug St. Dennis and Lucy Mustin. On the island, she loved her garden and won many Blue Ribbons in the Coronado Garden Tour. She eventually moved her mother to Coronado to care for her in her last years.

She delighted in her role as "Mimi" to her nine grandchildren—Jack, Katie, Sam, Eliza, Lilly, Max, Will, Hunter, and Harper—each of whom she adored.....They will forever remember the twinkle in her eyes at Christmas (her favorite holiday), her playful spirit and her immense generosity.

Jean is survived by her children, Kimberly Root Sandifer (Dominic Sandifer, Los Angeles, CA), Kristen Root McIntosh (Christian McIntosh, Belvedere, CA), Katie Root Browning (Adam Browning, Pacific Palisades, CA), and Andrew B. Root (Kat Standley, San Diego, CA); ex-husband Ben Root; as well as her sister Meg Waldron (Rich), her brothers Jim Phillips (Gail) and Dan Phillips (Lauren), her grandchildren and many nieces and nephews from the Phillips, Waldron, Root, and Mustin families. She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother Bill Phillips (Vicky), and her husbands Ron Chesnos and Tom Mustin.

She will be laid to rest in Annapolis beside Tom in the Mustin family plot. Jean's family is deeply indebted to the caretakers at Coronado Retirement Village, Atria in Pacific Palisades and Calligraphy in Westwood. To Esperanza, Adriana, Iris and Janci, she loved you all.

Despite long-standing health challenges, Jean will be remembered for her beautiful smile, her warmth, her humanity, and her enduring love for family. She will be deeply missed.

Please reach out to a family member for Jean's Celebration of Life information, which will take place in Santa Monica on May 17, 2026.

Donations may be made in her memory to Children's Hospital Los Angeles.