Phyllis Ethel Wolf Fort (4/4/1927 - 7/20/2024)

Phyllis grew up back when Iowa was covered with little family farms and thriving small towns like Primghar and Sheldon. There was a one room school house where your sister might be your teacher one year and everyone had an outhouse ripe for tipping on Halloween. She never lost her small town friendliness when her world grew with Cadet Nursing School at the Mayo Clinic. It was toward the end of WWII so instead of being sent overseas, she did her service at veteran hospitals in the Chicago area.

She met Bob, a student at Northwestern, and they married and lived in Evanston before moving with their four children to the newly growing Chicago suburbs and a close knit neighborhood in Glenview, Illinois.

Phyllis always enjoyed creative projects - painting, carving apple heads, quilting or the latest craft in a magazine. And it was all the better when done with her visiting sisters or children or community friends.

She loved getting to know people and their stories, especially over a cup of coffee and a sweet roll. The "coffee breaks" that the grandchildren came to love are a good example of how Phyllis worked hard and helped others, always with a positive outlook and joy showing up in the form of friends on a coffee break.

Phyllis and Bob spent the majority of their 72 years together in and around Claremore, Oklahoma. They were active in the First United Methodist Church including Sunday School, Quilt Group, and Mural Painting. Phyllis and Bob were regulars at the exercise class down the street and the senior meals, also down the street.

When Bob passed away four years ago, Phyllis moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, to be closer to family. She continued her good friendships in Oklahoma with the help of ZOOM and e-mail. Phyllis lived a healthy and active life and passed away peacefully at 97 years of age when her lungs were finally worn out. She is survived by children: Doug, Deb, Nan, and Mike; grand children Emma, Caleb, Skyler, Max and Claire; and great grandson, Gael.