Phylis Lucille [Duey] Fight Cottingham 1912-2007

DUEY, FIGHT, COTTINGHAM, HOWARD, VAN WINKLE, DALZELL, WILLIS

Posted By: Curtis (email)
Date: 5/18/2010 at 10:39:07

Death Notice -

(The Leon Journal-Reporter Wednesday March 7, 2007)

COTTINGHAM, Phyllis Lucile Duey Fight, 94, of Clear Lake, Iowa, formerly of LeRoy, Iowa, died Sunday, February 25, 2007 at Clark Lake. No public services were held, but a family memorial will held at a later date.

Memorials may be made to the Clear Lake United Methodist Church or Clear Lake Public Library.

Obituary -

(The Leon-Reporter Journal Wednesday March 7, 2007)

PHYLLIS LUCILE DUEY FIGHT COTTINGHAM ... Phyllis Lucile Duey Fight Cottingham, 94, passed away of natural causes on Sunday, February 25, 2007 at Clear Lake, Iowa.

Born on September 21, 1012 in Republic County, Kansas, Phyllis was the oldest of twelve children of Clarence Martin Duey and Edna Myrtle Howard and arriving one year to the day following their marriage.

Phyllis spent her childhood helping out on the family farm as well as caring for her siblings as they came along. She delivered milk from the family dairy farm near Chester, Nebraska. When she wasn't helping out, she spent here spare time developing her love for reading. After graduating from high school with honors, she took the Normal Training courses which enabled her to teach in rural schools, beginning in Nebraska at the age of 17. When teaching didn't pay enough to live on, Phyllis was sent to What Cheer, Iowa to care for an ailing aunt. Returning to teaching in Iowa, she met Rollie Verl Fight who was also teaching in a one-room schoolhouse in Mills County, Iowa. Phyllis and Rollie were married in Bloomfield, Iowa on May 28, 1938. From that time on, she assumed the role of mother to her new stepson and was a successful homemaker and mother to their four children. Phyllis and Rollie farmed mostly near Derby, Humeston, and LeRoy, Iowa. Rollie passed away on October 31, 1980.

Phyllis was a strong supporter of the 4-H program, serving as club leader for many years in LeRoy. Because of her love of reading, she was an active member for many years of the Yorel Study Club as well as active in the LeRoy Presbyterian Church, Leon Presbyterian Church, Velda Rose United Methodist Church in Mesa, AZ and the United Methodist Church in Clear Lake.

Phyllis served as a census take in the late 1960s in rural Decatur County. In 1973 she was hired as assistant director for the first Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) in Decatur County and later as coordinator for the community center in Leon through SCICAP. The Leon Business and Professional Women's Organization honored Phyllis in 1984 as BPW Woman of Year.

Phyllis moved to Mesa, AZ and married Lloyd Cottingham, formerly of Derby, Iowa, on December 12, 1984. Lloyd passed away in 1994. Phyllis moved back to Iowa in 2002 and lived at the Courtyard Assisted Living Center in Clear Lake.

Phyllis is survived by her stepson, Gerald Eugene Fight, Fallbrook, CA; sons Larry Verl (Erma) Fight, Davenport, IA; Roger Dean (Kristi) Fight, Sequim, WA; daughters, Kathleen Edna (John) Eft, Clive, and Norma Lee (Roger) Walston, Clear Lake. She is also survived by grandchildren, Jeff, Jana, Debbie, Diane, Gail, Emily, Erin, Alisa, Holly, Dean, and Tina; seven great granddaughters. Surviving brothers are David and Robert Duey and sisters, Margaret Meed and Elinor Kennedy and spouses. She is also survived by her special friend Newell Hamilton of Mesa, AZ.

Preceding in death were husbands Rollie Verl Fight and Lloyd Cottingham; grandson, Timothy Jay Fight; sisters, Ardath Van Winkle, Fannie Dalzell, Anita Duey, Carol Willis, and brothers. Howard, Dwight and Duane Duey.