Phyllis Vernet (Godbersen) Else 1922-2012

GODBERSEN ELSE SEILS

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 7/17/2012 at 12:33:14

Sioux City Journal
January 11, 2012

Phyllis V. Else, 89, of Mapleton passed away Saturday, Jan. 7, 2012, at Maple Heights Nursing Center in Mapleton.

Services will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday at St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Mapleton, with the Rev. Scott Jensen officiating. Burial will be in Mt. Hope Cemetery. Visitation with the family will be after 4 p.m. today, with a prayer service at 7 p.m., at Armstrong Funeral Home in Mapleton.

Phyllis Vernet (Godbersen) Else was born Aug. 11, 1922, on the family farm near Mapleton, where she lived for 70 years. She was the only child of Louis and Ella (Seils) Godbersen. In her youth, she was baptized and confirmed at St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Mapleton. She first attended school at Living Springs Country School in Woodbury County, Iowa, and graduated from Mapleton High School in 1940. She attended Le Mars College to obtain her teaching certificate. For five years she taught country school in Crawford County, Iowa, and later in Oto Township in Woodbury County.

Phyllis married Raymond Else on Jan. 21, 1945, in Mapleton. The couple and their five children lived and farmed until Ray and Phyllis retired to live in town in 1992, a move which Phyllis welcomed. Ray passed away at the age of 90 on Aug. 23, 2007.

As an active member of St. Matthew Lutheran Church, Phyllis taught Sunday school for 25 years. She enjoyed the LCW ladies group at St. Matthew as well as the Couple's Bible Study Group, Home Bible Study, the Altar Guild, and the church choir. She helped lead the girls' 4-H Club of Liston Township in Woodbury County for several years. For more than 40 years, she served as a substitute cook and teacher's assistant in the Maple Valley School System.

Phyllis enjoyed and shared her talent for making detailed quilts, which she gave to family members. She also loved gardening, growing flowers, reading, and baking.

Survivors include one son, Dr. James (Crista) Else of Mapleton and their sons, Zachary (Noelle), Elias, and Lucas; four daughters, Judy Smith of Hendersonville, N.C. and her daughters, Gwyneth Smith and Sonya (Ric) Caruso and their son, Luca, Carol (Richard) Miley of Hendersonville and their daughters, Elise (Luis Chavarria) Miley and Jenny (Tim) Heichelbech and their daughter, Ella Kate, Diane (Michael) Faley of Minneapolis, and Patricia (Stephen) Watrous of Grimes, Iowa, and their children, Austin and Alicia Watrous.

The family has recommended memorials to St. Matthew Lutheran Church or Alzheimer's Association.

Monona Obituaries maintained by Linda Ziemann.
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