Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Shellenbarger, Phyllis Arlene 2008 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/mi/mifiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Marilyn Ransom mlnransom@chartermi.net July 7, 2013, 8:39 pm The Ionia Sentinel-Standard, Wednesday, January 2, 2008 Phyllis Arlene (Lowrey) Shellenbarger, age 89, of Lake Odessa, passed away on Dec. 28 at Altercare of Big Rapids. Phyllis was born on July 8, 1918, to Charles and Ollie (Tischer) Lowrey on the family farm in Berlin Township near Saranac. Phyllis married Claud Shellenbarger on Nov. 28, 1936, and their union produced four children. Phyllis grew up through the Great Depression, spending most of her younger years on the family farm in Berlin Township. She attended elementary school in Saranac, seventh eighth grades at the Durkee country school, and grades 9- 12 attending and graduating from Lake Odessa High School. Phyllis loved school and many times said she would “love to stay in school forever.” During WWII she traveled and/or moved with her three oldest children to various bases in Florida and Texas, as her husband, Claud, completed pilot schools. After the war, Phyllis and Claud settled in raising their children, soon increased with the birth of Diane, on the 1856 family centennial farm in Berlin Township. Phyllis was a homemaker, spending most of her adult life providing a good home for her husband and children. She was a long time member of the Rural Mother’s Study Club. In retirement Phyllis and Claud enjoyed traveling around the U.S. and spending many winters in the Fort Myers, Fla. area. According to a writing left by her husband Claud, the early years for Phyllis were “Berlin Center Church, Grange dances, Saturday nigh to town and movies, Friday night ball games, close girl friends, the Ionia Free Fair, fragile cars and loving parents.” To this her children would add…loving mother, wonderful home cooking and baking, large gardens with canning and freezing, her hen and chicks and lots of hard work on the farm. The kind and loving woman and men at Thornapple Manor in Hastings, Altercare of Big Rapids, and Hospice of Big Rapids are to be commended for the care Phyllis received in the final two difficult years of her life. Phyllis is survived by three children, son Gary (Gloria) Shellenbarger of Big Rapids, daughter Linda (Stuart) Travis of Mecosta and daughter Diane (Duflo (Jerry Hufnagel) of St. Johns’ eight grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren and brother-in-law Elden Jackson. Phyllis was preceded in death by her husband, Claud; son, Greg; sister-in-law, Marilee Jackson and son-in-law, Noel Duflo. Cremation has taken place and a memorial service will take place at the First Congregational Church of Lake Odessa on Jan. 5, 2008 at 3 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to one of the following: Lakewood Educational Foundation, c/o Union Bank, 933 Fourth Avenue, Lake Odessa, MI 48849; or St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105, or First Congregational Church, 767 4th Avenue, Lake Odessa, MI 48849 or Hospice of Big Rapids, 400 Perry, Big Rapids, MI 49307. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/ionia/obits/s/shellenb21441nob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/mifiles/ File size: 3.5 Kb