Mrs. Mary Phillips

Mrs. Mary Phillips, 99, of Spirit Lake passed away on Wednesday, September 6, 2017 at the Hawkeye Care Center in Spirit Lake. Funeral services for Mary will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, September 11, 2017 at the Spirit Lake United Methodist Church. There will be a visitation one hour prior to the service at the church on Monday. Burial will be in the Lake View Cemetery in Spirit Lake. Mary (Lambert) Phillips was born the forth of eight children to J. S. Roy and Josephine (Berg) Lambert on March 8, 1918 on a rural farm east of Spirit Lake she attended the rural school just north of their farm for several years until they moved closer to Orleans. There she graduated the 8th grade from the Orleans Independent School on June 17, 1931. After graduating she was at home with her young brothers and sister to help take care of them and helping her mother with household chores. She did cooking and cleaning for several ladies in town. It was through her two older brothers that she met and dated Chester Phillips they were later married on April 20, 1938 at St Mary’s Catholic Church in Spirit Lake. To this union there were two children born Jim and Betty. They lived west of Spirit Lake on a farm until 1943 they then moved to a farm east of Spirit Lake that Mary’s grandfather had homesteaded years before. Then in 1947 Chet and Mary purchased the home farm. Mary loved to cook and sew she made almost all of her clothes for years. She also loved to crochet and do needle point. She was a member of the United Methodist Church, she was a member of the church circles helped out as much as she could. Was a member of the local Friendship Club and served as vice president for several years and also on the calling committee for them. She loved gardening and canned many jars of vegetables and fruits until it became too hard for her to stand. Mary loved finding new recipes and trying new desserts out on the family. Her favorite thing was to help take care of her grandchildren. Chet and Mary moved into town in 1983, lived there until they both entered Hilltop Care Center June of 2009. Those allowed to enjoy Mary’s memories, her daughter Betty Wernimont of Spirit Lake, four grandchildren Robin (Phillips) Elser her husband Greg Spirit Lake, Mel Wernimont (wife) Sonya of Sprit Lake, Scott Wernimont (wife) Jessica of Cottonwood MN, Amy (Wernimont) Dodson (husband) J of Nevada, IA. Eleven great grandchildren Jacob, Coral, Rachel Elser Spirit Lake, Cody and Mindy Wernimont Spirit Lake, Dalten, Shelten, Payten Wernimont Cottonwood, MN and Joseph, Gracie, and Lucy Dodson Nevada IA and many nieces and nephews. Proceeded in death by her parents, husband Chester, son James Phillips, son-in-law Mendal Wernimont, brothers Elmer (wife) Julia Lambert, Lawerence (wife) Louise Lambert, Wiley (wife) Molly Lambert, James (wife) Alice Lambert, Joseph (wife) Inez Lambert, sisters Eloise Lambert, Dorothy (husband) Steve Ukasick, nieces Denna Lambert, Martha (Lambert) Rolfes, Patricia (Lambert) Bartlett.

Mrs. Mary Phillips

March 8, 1918 - September 6, 2017