Phyllis Illene Bryan

To view the livestream of Phyllis' Celebration of Life, please click on the webcast below.

Phyllis Bryan passed away peacefully early in the morning on Thursday, August 17th, with her loving husband by her side.  She spent her last days in the care of the wonderful staff at Calvin Community and Suncrest Hospice.  Phyllis battled Alzheimer’s for many years, but always with her humor and quick wit.

Phyllis Illene Bryan was born February 10, 1933 to parents Glen and Velma Caldwell on a farm north of Mount Ayr, Iowa.  She enjoyed her childhood years with sisters Marilyn and Joyce, growing up around the Mount Ayr and Diagonal area.  In her early years, she attended one room schoolhouses, then graduated from Mount Ayr with the class of 1951. After graduation, she moved with four friends to Des Moines and started working at Bankers Life, now Principal Financial.  She continued working as a secretary until her children were born.

She started dating Charles Edwin Bryan while they were next door neighbors in Mount Ayr.  On March 1, 1952 they married in Des Moines with five people in attendance.  Five months later, Ed went into the Army, which included a year in Korea.  They enjoyed 71 years together in a happy and loving marriage, and were blessed with three children: Jim, Joni and Nancy.

In 1972, they bought a lot at Lake Ponderosa near Montezuma, Iowa. They spent much time there with their family, and close friend and neighbor, Wayne Brundage and family.  Over the years, many updates were made to what began as a travel trailer, then a mobile home, until finally building their current lake house in 1990. The lake has been enjoyed by multiple generations, starting with them and their children, their grandchildren and now by their great-grandchildren.  Phyllis treasured her summers at the lake.

Ed and Phyllis also enjoyed many winters in Mesa, Arizona. They loved attending spring training games, cheering on her Cubbies!  And visiting with Joni and Vickie Ferguson.

Phyllis’s other hobbies included knitting and crocheting, and she spent hours creating many Afghans and blankets.  She also enjoyed scrapbooking all sorts of events and occasions.  She was able to gift each of her children and grandchildren with scrapbooks of their own.

She is survived by her husband, Charles Edwin; daughters, Joni Bryan (Vickie Ferguson), and Nancy Howard (Tim); daughter-in-law, Jolene Bryan; grandchildren, Melissa Mullinax (Adam), Matthew Bryan, Jami Codner, Alison Rood (Scott), and Bryanne Anderson (Nick); and great grandchildren, Madison, Charlotte, Nora, Jaxon, Benjamin, and Emerson.

She was preceded in death by her son, Jim; and sisters, Marilyn (Jim) Kimble, and Joyce (Andy) Johnson.

Visitation will be held at Windsor Presbyterian Church on September 13 at1:00 pm with a Celebration of Life Service at 2:00 pm with a private burial at the Veterans Cemetery at a later date.  In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Suncrest Hospice or Windsor Presbyterian Church.