Obituary of Patricia Phillips

Born in England, February 9, 1924, Patricia's early years speak volumes of the years ahead! One afternoon, at about age seven, her mother took her along to an afternoon Tea in a prominent upscale London Hotel to meet with a close family friend. Shortly after the introduction, while sitting properly erect on the upholstered chair, Patricia said to the friend, "And tell me; how has your mother been lately"? Years later, in her mid teens, she succeeded in demanding that her dentist not leave the office before completing the work he had just started on her tooth. This, in spite of the fact that a German rocket blast had just blown out the windows of the office-next door! As a young lady, Patricia rapidly became a skilled typist and in 1946, met and married a young American soldier. After seven years in the states, the soldier became Dr. Allen Phillips, and later, an internationally renowned and decorated professor of Spanish literature, with extensive residency in Spain and Mexico (where one of her four girls was born.) A divorce in 1979 followed their move to Santa Barbara three years earlier. At a social function in 1980, Patricia's chance introduction to Warren Wentink developed into an incredibly interesting, exciting, challenging and rewarding 35 years thereafter. Their weekly Solvang Cycle Club rides soon led to taking their own extended rides through South Africa, Great Britain, Canada and many Western states. Local tandem rides occasionally took them to Ventura for lunch, with a speedy return to Santa Barbara. As an enthusiastic devotee of Julia Childs, Patricia's collection of over fifty cook books and multiple files of recipes attested to her culinary interests and skills. She fully enjoyed her bridge group and especially loved being at home with Warren, the true love of her life, surrounded by flowering plants, rare and tropical fruits, and countless well fed birds. She particularly revered the nearby Botanic Gardens where a plaque with her name is embedded in a boulder. She is preceded in death by her daughters Linda and Alida. She will be missed by her daughters who succeed her, Kathleen (Tita) Erhard, and Dr. Donna Phillips, M.D. as well as three of her step children, Julie Martin, David Wentink, and Michael Wentink, her son-in-laws, Samuel Darlington and Dr. Neil Kramer, M.D., and numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren. Patricia remained incredibly beautiful throughout her 90 years including the last day of her life, which was finally terminated by the advancing ravages of Alzheimers disease on Thursday, October 2, 2014. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Patricia's name to the Santa Barbara Botanic Gardens to help with restoration and improvements that she would have enjoyed so much! She will be missed dearly!