Barbara Ann Phillips

Barbara Ann Tamburin Phillips passed away peacefully at the age of 88 in Corpus Christi, Texas on Saturday, September 27, 2025, and is now with the Lord. Barbara was born on March 13,1937 in Corpus Christi, Texas to Anthony “Tony” and Alma Phelps Tamburin. The family moved a few years later to Ingleside, Texas where Tony (an immigrant from Yugoslavia), was a commercial fisherman and local farmer and Alma was a homemaker.

Barbara graduated from Ingleside High School in 1955. While in High School, she was a cheerleader and played on the basketball and volleyball teams. She was voted “Best All Around” and was Class and School Favorite for several years. She attended Texas A&I University in Kingsville (now Texas A&M University), before marrying her high school sweetheart David M. Phillips, Jr. of Aransas Pass, Texas. They were wed at the Ingleside United Methodist Church on September 7, 1957 and traveled through West Texas to Carlsbad and Ruidoso, New Mexico on their honeymoon. After returning, they both attended Texas A&I before moving to Brownsville, Texas in 1958 where David accepted a position at DuBose Marine Radio as a Marine Electronic Technician.

Barbara was active in the Brownsville Garden Club and won many awards for her floral designs and served as the local president for the League of Women Voters. The family were members of the First United Methodist Church of Brownsville and they have many life- long friends from there. In 1976 the family moved back to the Coastal Bend before settling in Portland, Texas in 1977, where they affiliated with the local Methodist Church. Barbara joined the Garden Club and became a supporter of the Gregory-Portland HS Athletic Booster Club. She enjoyed being a San Patricio County Election Judge and a substitute teacher at the local schools. Barbara loved the outdoors, working in her flower garden, birdwatching and anything with nature. Her other interests included antique shopping, sewing & quilting, canning & preserving, and traveling on family vacations in the Western US Mountains.

Barbara is survived by her children; Cheryl Phillips (Walter) Monteith of Horseshoe Bay, TX; David M. Phillips, III of Portland, TX; Deborah Phillips-Pittman of Brenham, TX; and grandsons; Stuart (Sydney Waring) Monteith of Dallas, TX and Colin Monteith of Houston, TX. She is also survived by her sister-in-law, Sharon Phillips (Jernigan) of Aransas Pass, TX and numerous nieces and nephews. Barbara also loved cats, and leaves behind her sweet kitties Sasha and Mick.

She is preceded in death by her husband of 60 years, David M. Phillips, Jr., her parents, Tony & Alma (Phelps) Tamburin (Sr.), her brother and sister-in-law Tony & Clara (Jacoby) Tamburin (Jr.), her sister-in-law Shirley (Cox) Tamburin, In-laws David & Dorothy (Berry) Phillips (Sr.), brother/sister-in-laws Bobby & Madelyn (White) Phillips, and her niece Connie (Tamburin) Corkill.

Barbara will be laid to rest with her husband David at Prairie View Cemetery in Aransas Pass, TX, and a family graveside service will be announced at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please make a charitable donation to Edgar & Ivy’s Cat Sanctuary in Corpus Christi, TX: https://www.edgarandivy.c