Phyllis Miriam (Sawyer) New (1921-2019)

NEW, SAWYER, SEXSMITH, EPSTEIN

Posted By: Mark Christian
Date: 5/17/2021 at 16:53:12

Obituary from the Charlotte Sun, Charlotte Harbor, Florida.

On January 30, 2019, at Harbor Health Center in Port Charlotte, FL, Phyllis Miriam (nee Sawyer) New - musician, artist, mother, wife, and friend-came to the end of a fulfilled life. Phyllis was born March 24, 1921, in Algona, Iowa, the daughter of Floyd and Beata Sawyer.

Phyllis enjoyed nature and a lifetime love of playing the clarinet. In addition to being in the Algona High School Band (where she is pretty sure that she never achieved first chair simply because of her gender!), Phyllis performed in bands throughout her life, only retiring her clarinet in the last decade.

After attending the University of Minnesota, Phyllis married and had two children, Michael and Miriam "Mickie." Later she married Horace "Bill" New in 1948, who adopted both children. They had a third child, R. Casey, and lived on a farm north of Nevada, IA. Bill was an innovator whose approach to farming attracted international visitors and allowed the couple to travel extensively. In 1980, they hosted the Farm Progress Show, a major agricultural event. In 1985, they moved to the northwest corner of Spain where Bill, accompanied by his son Casey, worked on a soybean project. Phyllis played the clarinet with "La Banda de Pontevedra"--the first female to play in the band. It took a while for many members of the band to accept her due to her gender and an American but they all appreciated her musical abilities.

Phyllis and Bill moved to Punta Gorda, FL, in 1988 where she performed with The Charlotte Symphony Orchestra. Following Bill's death in 2000, she moved to Southport Square. In addition to music, Phyllis has been a lifelong artist. She had a batik studio at the farmhouse and has painted animals and landscapes in recent decades. She always smiled and was a kind and caring person to all.

Survivors include her two children and their spouses, Mickie and Terry Sexsmith and Casey and Terry New, Phyllis leaves behind four grandchildren, Jennifer New, Chris Sexsmith, Haley New, and Casey R. New and two great grandchildren, Isabella and Tobias Epstein.