It is with great sorrow that we announce the passing of Susan Carrie Phillips. Susan fought a long and tough battle with appendiceal cancer – filling every possible moment with adventure, laughter and love. We are grateful that she no longer carries the pain of cancer, but we will never truly heal from our loss.

Susan was born on July 29, 1981 in Summit, New Jersey. She passed away at home in Hutto, TX on October 13, 2024.

Susan leaves behind a loving wife, Denise Phillips, and their child Alex/JoJo. She is survived by her parents, Bruce and Gwenn Phillips of Lake Ariel, PA and her siblings: Todd Phillips, of Burke, Virginia and Marc Phillips, of Hutto, Texas, and their families. She was an incredible aunt to Sam, Cody, Sean, Lauren, Nicole (Laura) and Travis. She was welcomed in the next world by her beloved pups, Rocco and Zoey.

Susan was proud of her esteemed medical career. She started as a volunteer EMT, as she pursued her nursing degree at Holy Family University. She spent many years working as a trauma nurse in the New Jersey area, enjoying the quick thinking and high-impact medical care she delivered. Her skills and calm demeanor brought her into a teaching role, where she developed training fellowships and curricula. She mentored many grateful nurses throughout her life. A transition to travel nursing brought her to the Austin, TX area, where she continued to practice Emergency Department care, while earning her Masters as a family nurse practitioner. She earned Nurse of the Year awards in 2010 and 2018, and a Daisy Award in 2018. To quote one of her colleagues: “…healthcare providers are better, smarter and kinder because of (her) influence.”

What we will remember most about Sue has little to do with her career, and everything to do with her character. She was quick to laugh and slow to anger. She had a calm demeanor that kept the peace in stressful situations. She would laugh about her stubborn streak – but was also incredibly generous and always protected the people she cared about. She infused fun into every situation. Simply put, she was someone people just wanted to be around. When Sue became your friend, you felt like you had earned something wonderful.

As a final contribution to the field of medicine, Sue elected to donate her body to the Texas State Forensics Anthropology Center.

Sue’s family would like to extend their gratitude to Dr. Rebecca Wiatrek at Texas Oncology for her tireless, innovative and heartfelt care. We also thank Sue's countless friends who helped us all navigate the tough last days of her fight. We are so grateful to have had you on Susan’s team.

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