Catharina Henderika Schong Phillips

Catharina Henderika Schong Phillips passed away on September 27, 2026 after a short stay in hospice in Winston-Salem, NC. Catharina was given the nickname “Tinie” (pronounced “Tee-knee”) in IJmuiden, the Netherlands where she was born on January 23, 1942 and used it throughout her life. Tinie emigrated to the United States at age 5 with her parents and two sisters after World War II. Her family settled in West Monroe, New York where she started school and worked on her family’s farm. After high school, she attended nursing school in Syracuse and met her future husband, John Phillips. Tinie was known for always having cookies in the jar, a crochet project- or several- in the works, a jigsaw puzzle in process, and a book she could get lost in. She liked watching a variety of sports and had a game of some sort playing on the TV almost year-round. Tinie was happiest around the dining room table with family or friends for a meal, conversation, or playing card or board games.

Tinie was immensely proud of her seven children- John Phillips, James “Jim” Phillips, Catharina “Kay” Middleton, Christopher “Chris” Phillips, Constance “Connie” Brake, Jason Phillips, and Jeremy Phillips. She enjoyed her relationship with her four daughters-in-law- Wendy (John), Darci (Jim), Rebekah (Jason), and Spring (Jeremy) and her two sons-in-law- Bill (Connie) and Bruce (Kay). While Tinie’s children joked about which child was her favorite they all know that honor belonged to her thirteen much-loved grandchildren: Stephanie, Matthew, and Bailey Phillips (John and Wendy); Connor (Rebecca) and Sean Phillips (Jim and Darci); Jonathan Toomey and Catie Ringer (Kay); Nathaniel and Abigail Phillips (Chris); Phoebe and Virginia Brake (Connie and Bill); and Leyton and Cade Phillips (Jason and Rebekah). Tinie was predeceased by her husband John Edmund Phillips, her parents Marinus and Winifred Schong, and her younger sister. She is survived by her brother Marinus “Rinie” Schong, her sister Deborah “Debbie” Schong Violette, Debbie’s husband Mike, her sister-in-law “Jinx” Phillips Adams, and several nieces and nephews.

Funeral Services will be held at a Later Date