Tammy Rae Phillips

Lifelong Mankato resident, Founder of Midwest Insurance Group, and forever the life of the party, Tamera (Tammy) Rae Phillips passed away peacefully in her sleep, on June 19th, 2025. She was 66 years old.

Born May 21st, 1959, in Mankato, Minnesota to Vernon and Lorraine Isenberg, she was the fifth of seven children. She spent her childhood surrounded by a close and loving family.

She graduated from Mankato West High School in 1977 and followed her interest in hospitality by studying hotel-motel management. Throughout her life, she was known for her warm personality and strong work ethic. She often reminisced about her days working at Pizza Kato, Happy Chef, and the Holiday Inn.

Her drive and ambition led her into the insurance industry, where she built a successful career at Banker’s Life & Casualty Company. She held certification from the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors as a Life Underwriter Training Council Fellow. After years of dedicated service, she and her manager branched out together and started Midwest Insurance Group, during which she served a term as the President of NAIFA. Her clients were friends and her co-workers were family.

Her greatest joy in life was being a mother to her two children, Kyle and Lindsey, from her first marriage to Marty. She was an adoring grandmother to Charley and Dax. Her children’s happiness was always her priority, and the sacrifices she made to make their worlds bright did not go unnoticed.

In 2014, Tammy married Doug Krueger, who became the love of her life and her “ride or die.” Tammy and Doug lived life like rockstars, and their chemistry was palpable. They traveled and entertained, and they danced.

Tammy was many things to many people; a wife, a mother, a grandmother, a sister, a friend, an agent, a neighbor, a mentor, a matchmaker; a Vikings fan. Her personality was larger than life and her random acts of kindness touched all corners.

Tammy was preceded in death by her husband Doug, her mother Lorraine, her father Vern, and her sister Jackie Landkamer. No doubt they are dancing in heaven now.

She is survived by her children, Kyle & Sommer (Koel) Phillips and Lindsey & Jeff Stewart, grandchildren Charley and Dax Stewart, her siblings, Becky Berge (Steve), Barbb Olson, Janelle Schisel (Brad), Randy Isenberg, and Traci Heilman (Pat), her beloved nieces and nephews, her lifelong best friend Tamara Hakseth, and her dogs, Nellie and Flo.

Visitation for Tammy will be from 5-7pm on Friday, June 27th at Northview-North Mankato Mortuary. Funeral Mass will be at 11:00 am on Saturday, June 28th, with a visitation one hour prior at St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church in Mankato. A Celebration of Life will be held at the Loose Moose Saloon in Mankato following the funeral service.

The live stream link below is a complimentary service provided by Mankato Area Funeral Homes.

Unforeseen technical, internet, facility, and/or acoustical circumstances may produce a diminished end product. Please note, if the live stream does not appear, we are attempting to record and publish the service for later viewing.