Phyllis Kay Wasick

With a grateful and cheerful heart that characterized her disposition for a full life of 88 1/2 years, Phyllis Kay Wasick passed peacefully into heaven on September 9, 2020.

Phyllis was born February 13,1932 to Avis and Keith Morgan in Somerset, Colorado. She grew up in Hatch, New Mexico and lived most of her adult life near Gilroy, California and Ennis, Montana.

Phyllis deeply loved and was loved by every member of her family and vast friend community. She was married to Milan Lewis Wasick; the beauty of their love, tenderness and kindness to each other remains an enduring legacy and example for all who knew them. Phyllis is survived by four children, Avis Wasick Linnins, Kimball Wasick, Lisa Wasick Glines and Julie Wasick Byers.

Phyllis describes her most "important job" of her lifetime as that of "being a mom; the one job I didn't want to have anyone else do." She was always exquisitely kind, attentive, supportive and caring to each of her four children.

Her greatest joys were her eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. She was a constant source of encouragement and inspiration for them and supported and celebrated their every achievement.

Her beloved extended family, including those who entered through marriage and friendship, were also recipients of Phyllis' extraordinary love, gentle wit, and unfaltering kindness. An avid reader and traveler, Phyllis was a great conversationalist, listener and lifelong learner. With tenacious perseverance and steadfast loyalty to the causes and people she cared most about, Phyllis modeled how one person's hard work, humility and character can make an enormous difference in the lives of others.

Phyllis worked for the Gilroy Unified School District Administration Center in the Business Office for twenty-seven years. She found the work "interesting and challenging" and "best of all, made lifelong friends." During her retirement, Phyllis was an active community volunteer in Ennis, Montana. Her service contributions ranged from starting a food bank and serving as a Church Elder to spearheading the building of a new public library. The Ennis Chapter of the Lion's Club awarded her Citizen of the Year in 2001 in recognition of her contributions and tireless efforts to be of service to others.

A memorial will be held at a later date. If desired, donations in Phyllis' honor can be made to The Friends of the Madison Valley Public Library, P.O. Box 492, Ennis, MT, 59729 or online at Ennislib.org.

Published in Gilroy Dispatch · September 16, 2020