Rosemary Robblee Phillips, 76, of Springfield, Virginia died peacefully on August 7, 2025 following an extended illness. Born February 14, 1949 at Walter Reed Army Hospital Washington D.C, she was the beloved daughter of Paul A. Robblee and Alma P. Robblee. She is survived and dearly missed by her daughter Meredith Anne Payne (Ryan); grandchildren Elizabeth Anne and Benjamin Michael; brother Paul A. Robblee Jr. (Joanne); niece Jessica Robblee , nephew Clay Robblee (Rebecca), great-niece Madison Robblee, and great-nephew, CJ Robblee.
Rosemary grew up an "Army Brat" living at Camp Edwards in Falmouth, MA, (now part of Joint Base Cape Cod), Fort Jackson, South Carolina, and Naples, Italy, where her father served as military council to Armed Forces South, NATO Headquarters. The family moved to Northern Virginia when Rosemary was in 6th grade, where she remained and graduated from J.E.B Stuart High School in 1967.
Rosemary graduated from Mary Washington College (the Women's College of the University of Virginia) with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Art History (1971). Rosemary continued her education earning a Master of Arts Degree, also in Art History in 1977. Rosemary began working at the Smithsonian Institution Museum of American History in 1978.
Throughout her 42 year distinguished career at the Smithsonian she worked in a variety of capacities: collections management, personnel, and financial administration. She spent almost 20 years as the liaison to the Smithsonian's Affiliations Program. An institution-wide outreach initiative, the Affiliations Program establishes formal relationships between Smithsonian Museums and institutions throughout the United States. While working at the Smithsonian she also took on many volunteer opportunities, most importantly establishing the annual Girl Scouts Day at the Museums of American History. An annual event bringing Girl Scout Troops in from across the National Capital Region. She gave excellent tours of the museum, tailoring each tour to the interests of the person visiting. She retired in January 2020, just months before the Covid-19 pandemic closures. Rosemary was a lifelong Episcopalian and member of St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Burke, Virginia since the late 1980s. She served on the Vestry from 1999 to 2001, sang in the choir from 1994 to 2021, and was an active member of the Flower Guild. Rosemary led the 50th Anniversary Committee in 2022 and served as an ESL Teacher starting in 2022.
Without a doubt the most important role Rosemary had was Mom to her daughter Meredith. She had no greater joy than to have had the privilege of raising Meredith and see her as a wonderful wife and mother, in addition to having a successful career. She relished her role as Granmary to her two beautiful grandbabies Elizabeth and Benjamin. Granmary loved these amazing little people so much and delighted in watching Meredith and Ryan raise them.
She will be remembered for her warm twinkly smile, her keen intelligence and capability, her breadth of historical knowledge, her unfailing thoughtfulness, her elegant taste, her deep love for her family and friends (especially her devotion to her daughter Meredith, son-in-law Ryan and her grandkids).
A memorial service will be held on November 22, 2025 at 11 a.m. at St Andrew's Episcopal Church, Burke, Virginia.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the American Cancer Society
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