Phyllis Arlene Schwagerl 1919 - 2003

SCHWAGERL ASPREY THORNGREEN

Posted By: Connie Swearingen-Volunteer (email)
Date: 4/16/2014 at 18:48:31

Sioux City Journal
29 December 2003

Phyllis A. Schwagerl, 84, of Sioux City died Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2003, at Sunrise Retirement Community following a lengthy illness.

Memorial services will be 1 p.m. Tuesday at Christy-Smith Morningside Chapel, with the Rev. Alex Washington officiating. Private burial services will be in Floyd Cemetery. There will be no visitation.

Phyllis Arlene Schwagerl was born Aug. 23, 1919, in Sioux City, the daughter of George and Sara (Asprey) Thorngreen.

She married Harold F. "Bud" Schwagerl on Oct. 1, 1951, in Willmar, Minn. They made their home in Sioux City.

Phyllis graduated from East High School in 1938, and received a bachelor of arts degree from Morningside College in 1942. She received advanced library science training at the University of Illinois. During her college years, she worked as a biology assistant and as a teletype operator at Socony Vacuum Oil Co.

She began her career with the Sioux City Public Library in the early 1950s, first working as a library assistant in the catalog department and then at the Morningside Branch Library. In the mid-1960s, she retired as the head librarian of the Morningside Branch due to multiple sclerosis. After her retirement, she volunteered to help set up the library at Sunnyside Elementary School.

She was a former longtime member of First Baptist Church, where she taught Sunday school. Phyllis was a member of the American Library Association and Iowa Library Association. She was a member of the Literary Outlook Study Club, Siouxland Senior Center and the Girls of '68, where she served as president and was treasurer for 10 years. She belonged to Alpha Sigma Sorority, Epsilon Sigma Alpha Business Sorority, and at Morningside she belonged to Psi Chi, a college fraternity, and Tri Beta, a biology fraternity.

Phyllis enjoyed playing the piano, playing bridge, doing crossword puzzles and birdwatching. She was an avid reader and shared her love of books with others. In recent years she kept in touch with neighbors and friends over the telephone, often calling them to make sure they were well. She supported a number of animal welfare causes and enjoyed her pet dachshunds. She was an avid baseball fan. Her two favorite teams were the Minnesota Twins and Chicago Cubs.

Survivors include her husband of 52 years; two nephews, David Schandorff of Las Vegas, Nev., and Ronald Jones of Russell Springs, Ky.; a brother-in-law and his wife, James and Vivian Schwagerl of Simi Valley, Calif.; four nieces and two nephews and their families; and godchildren, Lynn Zerschling of Sioux City, and Jim Zerschling of Dallas, Texas.

She was preceded in death by her parents and two brothers, Donald and Leonard Thorngreen.

Memorials may be directed to the Siouxland Humane Society and the M.S. Society, Attention: Joan, 1300 50th Street, Suite 106, West Des Moines, IA 50266