Joan Marie (Leonard) Phillips

Joan Marie Leonard Phillips of Greensboro, GA, formerly of New Jersey, passed away suddenly on Saturday, March 23, 2024, at St. Mary’s Hospital in Athens at the age of 89 years old. She was born on December 14, 1934, in Jersey City, NJ, to the late John and Marie Leonard Stefanchik. Raised in New Jersey, she completed her education at Snyder High School.

During her teenage years, Joan was a dedicated swimmer, earning numerous awards through competitions at the Young Woman’s Athletic Club (YWAC) in Jersey City. Additionally, she harbored a deep love for singing, dancing, and theatre.

On September 4, 1954, she married Raymond James Phillips in Jersey City, NJ. She started working for The Division of Youth and Family Services in 1972, where she started as a clerk transcriber and rose to prominence as the Senior Head District Supervisor of two offices, which she held until her retirement in 1998. Her beautiful voice adorned her membership in both our Lady of Mercy Choir and her membership as the PTA President of St. Aloysius Academy High School in Jersey City, NJ in the early 1970’s. Moreover, she graced numerous lead roles in various parish plays.

She was a wonderful mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend. She cherished every moment spent with her family and friends, finding joy in their company. Joan possessed an innate charisma, capable of effortlessly illuminating any room with her presence. In her leisure, she was an avid reader and dedicated her spare moments to crafting poetry. Joan’s affection for her loved ones and her generous spirit will be profoundly missed. 

Raymond and Joan moved from Jersey City, NJ to Brick, NJ, where they lived together for 15 years. They then proceeded to move to Toms River, NJ for 3 years, after which they moved to Fairhope, AL to live with her daughter, Kathleen, and her son-in-law, Gregory. After Raymond passed, she moved to Greensboro, GA to reside with Kathleen and Gregory. While living in Greensboro, she attended Christ Our King and Savior Catholic Church. 

Joan’s survivors include her children: Susan Jane (John) Manley of Brick, NJ, and Kathleen (Gregory) DiPretoro of Greensboro, GA; her grandchildren: Tara Lynn dos Santos (Junior), Kimberly Altero (Paul) both of Naples, FL, Matthew Manley of Point Pleasant, NJ, and Danielle Katsburg (Timotheus) of Smyrna, GA; as well as her great grandchildren: Ferrari and Scarlett Altero & Amelia and Violet dos Santos all of Naples, FL.  In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Raymond James Phillips, and her sister, Gloria Dolan of Sea Girt, NJ.

The family will have a visitation for friends at O'Brien Funeral Home, 505 Burnt Tavern Road in Brick, NJ on Friday, April 5th from 2:00 – 4:00 pm ET and 7:00 – 9:00 pm ET.  A Mass of Christian burial will be held on Saturday, April 6, 2024, at 10:00 am ET at St. Dominic's Catholic Church in Brick, NJ, followed by interment at St. Joseph's Cemetery, 62 Cedar Grove Road, Toms River, NJ 08753. 

The family requests any memorials be made to St. Jude, P. O. Box 1000, Dept 142, Memphis, TN 38148. McCommons Funeral Home, 109 W. Broad St., Greensboro, GA, (706) 453-2626, is in charge of local arrangements. Visit us at www.mccommonsfuneralhome.com to sign the online guest register.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Joan Marie (Leonard) Phillips, please visit our floral store.