Mary Josephine Phillips Mote

Mary Josephine Phillips Mote of Richardson, Texas, passed away October 28, 2022, after a long, hard fought battle against cancer that began in 2000 with multiple recurrences. She faced her challenges with quiet dignity, strength and grace, and is now at peace with no more pain and suffering.

Mary was born in Dallas on April 21, 1959, attending Mary Immaculate School and then graduating from Ursuline Academy in 1977. Mary later went on to Southwest Texas State University (now Texas State University) in San Marcos, Texas, taking with her a degree in Interior Design in 1984. Throughout her life, she continued to work within the design industry – primarily in showroom sales of wallcoverings, fabrics, window treatments, kitchen and bath fixtures. Mary had a keen eye for color and design, with her most recent project being the renovation of her own home.

In her life, Mary lived in Austin, Dallas, Chicago and then settling back in Dallas. She was the third of seven children with four boys and three girls who have a strong and loving bond, looking forward to time spent with one another – holidays and trips together always provide for fond memories. One of Mary’s last wishes was to take one more trip to the beach to put her feet in some sand and feel the sun on her face. Her siblings arranged for a true “make a wish” trip for all to Cape San Blas, Florida, to a gorgeous new house on the beach and flown by private jet, there and back. The house was filled with family, laughter, great food and drinks, and lots of love – the perfect recipe for the inner soul healing that Mary needed through time spent surrounded by her loved ones. Mary was an explorer and adventurer - something that she and all of the kids got from their dad who was a scuba diver, hiker of the Himalayas and photographer. Mary traveled to many destinations to also scuba dive, explore and discover: Cabo San Lucas, Merida, Playa del Carmen, Cozumel (all in Mexico), St. Croix, Bonaire twice, Aruba, Curacao, Belize, Turks and Caicos, Maui twice and British Virgin Islands where she also vacationed with her family in her younger days. She was always planning a next adventure and great escape.

A lover of cats, Mary hoped to meet Simon, Buster and Trixie at the Rainbow Bridge, while Binx and Pepper remain surrounded by love at home with Marcus. Mary’s eye for beauty also extended to the garden where she loved to dig and plant flowers, bulbs, peppers, herbs, grasses and shrubs. Every fall and spring had new color in the planting bed ….. until the local rabbits ate them. Mary would gather up the cat’s fur from brushings and put it in the flower beds, having read that it would scare the rabbits away (the pansies still disappeared). She loved being in the yard, she loved seeing the sun and getting her hands dirty and in doing so, she always created something beautiful to see.

Mary is survived by her husband of 32 years, Marcus; her brother, Mark Phillips and partner, Diane Waggoner; brother, Steve Phillips and wife, Susan; brother, Harold Phillips and wife, Nancy; brother, John Phillips; sister, Therese and husband, Dan Clark; sister, Lucy and husband, Richard Gussoni. Mary is also survived by niece, Anna Chapman with husband Mike, and two great-nephews, Beau and Landry; niece, Lorena McMahon and husband, Ross; nieces, Erin and Lauren Phillips; niece and nephews, Eileen, Michael and Eddie Clark; nieces, Olivia and Francesca Gussoni; nephew, Nic Gussoni and fiancé, Maggie Privett.

Mary was preceded in death by her father, Conway Phillips and mother, Lucy Ann Phillips.

Visitation will be held from 4:00-8:00pm with Rosary at 6:00pm on Tuesday, November 8, 2022, at Sparkman/Hillcrest Funeral Home, 7405 W. Northwest Highway, Dallas, TX, 75225. Funeral Mass will begin at 11:00am Wednesday, November 9, 2022, at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, 9643 Ferndale Road, Dallas, TX, 75238.

If you wish to honor Mary’s life, please consider donating to the eradication of this horrible disease cancer to: MD Anderson Cancer Center, UT Southwestern Medical Center, American Cancer Society and/or The Komen Foundation.

Alternatively, please give to Faith Presbyterian Hospice, who cared for Mary during her last three months at home and in-patient with compassion, loving kindness and exemplary care. It is a not-for-profit hospice center and the people there are truly doing God’s work for their patients and families.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.Sparkman-Hillcrest.com for the Mote family.