WASHINGTON — One of the founders of an Ocean City institution has died.

Shirley Phillips, who co-founded Phillips Seafood, died on Christmas morning at 95.

The restaurant announced her death on its Facebook page on Tuesday, Dec. 26.

“She lived an extraordinary life and taught us all so much about leadership, loyalty, friendship and love,” the company announced on its Facebook page. “She will be greatly missed.”

On its website, the company said the Phillips seafood tradition started more than a century ago on Hoopers Island where the A.E. Phillips & Son processing plant sourced wild crabs, fish and oysters in season from the Chesapeake Bay. In 1956, the family opened its first restaurant in Ocean City, Maryland, as a market for their surplus crabs.

The restaurant expanded to 1,400 seats and now occupies an entire block on Ocean City. They also opened locations in Baltimore, Atlantic City, FedEx Field and airports and casinos.

The restaurant said many of its recipes were passed to its chefs directly from Shirley Phillips.