Janet (Jan) Kay Phillips Winkler, 80, passed away peacefully on June 23, 2026, at her home in Amarillo. Jan was born on December 28, 1945 in Amarillo, the middle child of B. B. (Friday) and Elaine (Torchie) Phillips. She was raised on Cline Road and graduated from Amarillo High School in 1963, where she was on the Student Council, the KEN Club and danced in the Sandie Steppers.

Jan earned her BA degree in Microbiology from the University of Texas at Austin in 1978 and went on to become an accomplished micro and molecular biologist. A very quick study, she honed her skills at The Rockefeller University in New York, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis and Vanderbilt University in Nashville, working at the forefront of microbiology research with RNA pioneer James Darnell, and his colleague Joe Nevins at The Rockefeller U., famed flu virologist Rob Webster at St. Jude Children’s Hospital, and cancer authority Hal Moses at Vanderbilt. Jan then went on to a successful career at Abbott Laboratories in North Chicago, IL highlighted by her contributions to development and use of DNA based tests for HIV, STDs, and other conditions. Jan was awarded a U.S. Patent #5453355 in 1996 for her work at Abbott Labs given to her personally by renowned physician-scientist Anthony Faucci. Her scientific work was published in multiple prestigious journals, including PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences) USA and The American Journal of Human Genetics.

Jan was always moving and striving to learn and improve herself. She was an avid lover of the outdoors and hiked and camped in the Rocky Mountains and abroad. She enjoyed playing piano and listening to classical music. Perhaps most of all, she loved her dear Maltese spaniels. Her long walks with them around her neighborhood chatting with her neighbors was perhaps her greatest pleasure.

Shortly after moving into the neighborhood and during one of Jan’s strolls, she befriended the Lopez family of which they would become great friends.

Those who met and knew Jan will always remember her generosity, her keen intellect and her easy smile. Jan will be missed by all, and her legacy will live through everyone whose lives she made a bit brighter and better.

Jan was married for 30 years to biochemist Martin Winkler PhD, of Lawrence, KS. She is pre-deceased by her daughter Angela Phillips, her sister Danette Patton and brother Bill Phillips. She is survived by her niece Teresa Page of Olathe, KS, her nephew John Wheeler and wife Ann of Haymarket, VA, and her beloved grandnieces Nichole Johnson, Erica Johnson, Elizabeth Wheeler and Christina Wheeler.

There are no services scheduled at this time.