Phyllis Smith

Phyllis Rogene Morrison Smith was born July 12, 1923 in Tingley, Iowa. Her parents were Clarence and Hazel Morrison. She grew up on a farm in Iowa, graduated from Tingley High School in 1940 and attended Creston Community Junior College. She served in the Waves from 1944 to 1946 and worked in the Military Records Department in Washington D. C. She loved serving her country and always stood at a parade when the flag went by. She married Rowe McKee Smith in Glendale, California in 1947. They had one daughter. Rowe died in 1977 and Phyllis was a widow for 35 years. She loved to sew, do machine embroider and many other crafts. She loved to travel and visited most of the United States. She loved to read and enjoyed reading to her little sisters, daughter, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Phyllis was a member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and for a time the church meetings were held in her home. Phyllis loved her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and remembered each one with a gift or card with money, no matter where they were living. Phyllis is survived by her daughter, Jeanie (Louis) Tolbert, grandchildren Teri (Shawn) Weimer, Jason (Molly) Tolbert, Heidi (Chris) VanHouten, Jerrad (Michael) Tolbert, (all of Vernal), Jamie (Branton) Nielson, (Richfield, Utah), Sarah (Clayton) Anderson (Oak City, Utah), and 24 great-grandchildren, brother, Rex Morrison (Winterset, Iowa), sisters Nina Eason (Mt. Ayr, Iowa), and Ardis Lanzilotta (Altoona, Iowa) and many nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her husband, parents and one sister. Funeral services were held Tuesday, February 5, 2013 at the Blackburn Vernal Mortuary at 11 am with the viewing at 10 am. Burial was in the Maeser Fairview Cemetery.