Bowen, Phyllis (Pringle) (1923-2006)

BOWEN, PRINGLE, RAMBO, MECK, MCBRIDE, BEIDA, ROACH, HOPPER, HOTH

Posted By: Jane Adams (email)
Date: 11/24/2006 at 16:41:50

Fairfield Ledger
Friday, June 9, 2006, Pg. 12.

Phyllis BOWEN, 83, of Dundee, died Monday, June 5, 2006 at her daughters’ home in Dundee, Iowa, following a short illness.

Phyllis was born February 18, 1923, the daughter of Clarence and Winifred (Rambo) Pringle in Ottumwa, Iowa.

Family will greet friends on Saturday, June 10, 2006 from 2:00 pm until 5:00 pm at the Bohnenkamp-Murdoch Funeral Home & Cremation Service in Manchester.

A private family graveside service will be held in Clay Cemetery, Richland, Iowa at a later date.

The family wants you to remember her laughing, loving, honesty and hard work. The philosophy that “no matter what your station in life, do not think or allow anyone to make you think they are better than you, and do not think of anyone as less than you” was instilled in her children and was the essence of her life. Like her mother, she never met a stranger.

In 1937, Phyllis moved into a home of a town family and worked for them, leaving the farm so she could attend high school. Phyllis graduated from Fairfield High in 1940. Her high school career encompassed the two years after the high school building burned down. The loss of the building required students to attend classes in rooms all over the downtown square. Those high school years taught Phyllis to think outside the box, be independent and take adversity as a challenge to be conquered.

Phyllis began her working career at the Ammunition Plant in Burlington, Iowa following the loss of her high school sweetheart at Pearl Harbor. She then worked at the Nursing Home and Fairfield Glove Factory until 1970. Moving to Fredericksburg, Texas, she primarily worked at Brown’s nursing home. Phyllis received endorsements in Activity Therapy and Reality Orientation and earned recognition for her excellent work. At the impending birth of her first grandchild in 1977, Phyllis moved to Des Moines and again distinguished herself working in a nursing home. She ended her working career at Des Moines General Hospital in critical Care. She lived in an apartment at her daughter’s home for fifteen years prior to moving to the Dundee Senior Apartments for the last four years. After retiring in 1995, Phyllis began volunteering at the Dundee Senior Citizen Meal Site and had the honor of receiving the governor’s award for volunteerism.

As evidenced by her life, Phyllis gave of herself to the community. She loved family, gardening, animals, adventure, crocheting and a good joke.

Phyllis is survived by three children, Donna MECK of Dundee, IA, Russell (Janice) MECK of Springfield, MO, Kristin MCBRIDE [adopted] of Dundee, IA; two grandchildren, Kristin (John) BEIDA of Madison, WI, and Jason (Stephanie) MECK [adopted] of Manchester, IA; two great-grandchildren, Brianna Lynn and Tyler James MECK; nephews, Larry (Margo) ROACH of TN and Bobby (Wendy) PRINGLE of Creston, IA; cherished family loved ones, Judy PRINGLE of Creston, Betty HOPPER formerly of Fairfield, IA, Sandra HOTH of Dundee, OA, Marj and Ralph MCBRIDE of Des Moines, IA, and their children and cousins and close friends.

Phyllis was preceded in death by a daughter, Marian Sue; the father of her children, Melvin MECK; her parents, Clarence & Winifred PRINGLE; brother and sister-in-law, Charles “Chick” & Mineta PRINGLE; and her sister and brother-in-law, Frances & Lawrence ROACH.

Please sign our online guest-book for Phyllis at www.murdochfuneralhome.com under obituaries.

Printed with permission of the Fairfield Ledger.

This data transcribed for genealogical purposes; I am not related to the subject.