Phillips Seafood Co-Founder Shirley Phillips Dies At 95

OCEAN CITY, MD — Shirley Phillips, the Maryland family cook whose recipes for seafood spun out of her family's processing plant on the Chesapeake Bay, died on Christmas Day. The business began a century ago on Hoopers Island, where the A.E. Phillips & Son processing plant sourced wild crabs, fish and oysters in season from the local waters. Today the firm headquartered in Baltimore has renowned restaurants using Shirley's recipes in Baltimore, Ocean City, Atlantic City, BWI Airport, Maryland House, Maryland Live Casino and elsewhere on the East Coast.

On the company Facebook page the news of her passing read: "Our founder Shirley Phillips, the heart and soul of our company, passed away early Christmas morning at the age of 95. She lived an extraordinary life and taught us all so much about leadership, loyalty, friendship and love. She will be greatly missed."

The family created a built-in market for its surplus crabs by opening the first Phillips Seafood Restaurant in Ocean City in 1956, according to the company website. Business grew quickly from there, as the family expanded into new locations and launched into new markets.

"Many of our recipes are generations old, passed to our chefs straight from the kitchen of Shirley Phillips," the business says. "Over the past 100 years, we have grown our company by leaps and bounds by holding fast to these simple principles: serve classic seafood favorites, provide outstanding service, and create a memorable dining experience for our guests."

Friends of the family, as well as customers, shared stories on thebusiness Facebook page noting Phillips' pride in her family. "When l was the director of the DOWNTOWN ASSO of OC , I asked SHIRLEY and Brice's grandson to be on the Board of Directors, he agreed , I remember SHIRLEY Felt so.proud of him, and of course I was just thinking of the family's feeling. R.I.P SHIRLEY NOW YOU ARE WITH BRICE," posted Judy Lee Lemaster.

Phillips and her late husband, Brice R. Phillips, grew up in the Dorchester County watermen’s community of Hoopers Island, according to the company website.

A funeral service will be held Saturday, Dec. 30, for Shirley Elizabeth Flowers Phillips, at the family home on 1578 Teal Drive in Ocean City, on Saturday at noon. The service will follow at 1:30 p.m. The Rev. George Patterson will officiate.

Entombment will follow. In lieu of flowers, a donation in her memory may be made to: Atlantic General Hospital, 9733 Healthway Dr., Berlin, MD 21811, or Atlantic United Methodist Church, 105 4th St. Ocean City, MD 21842, or Coastal Hospice, P.O. Box 1733, Salisbury, MD 21804. Letters of condolence may be sent via: www.burbagefuneralhome.com. Arrangements are in the care of the Burbage Funeral Home in Berlin.

Phillips is survived by two sons, Stephen B. Phillips of Annapolis and Jeffrey P. Phillips Sr. of Princess Anne, 10 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. She had lived in Boca Raton, Florida since 2006, where she has been cared for by her children and grandchildren.

Photos of Shirley Phillips, Brice and Shirley Phillips, and the Phillips Crab House location in Ocean City, Maryland used with permission of Phillips Foods, Inc. and Seafood Restaurants; photo of Phillips Seafood at Maryland House by Patch Editor Elizabeth Janney