Phyllis A. Evans, 82, of Route 26, passed away Thursday, March 29, 2018 at the Eastern Star Home in Oriskany, NY.
She was born March 3, 1936 in Utica, a daughter of Lewis and Helen Harris Arend. Phyllis was a graduate of Poland Central School in 1954, received her B.S. from SUNY, Plattsburgh, and attended SUNY, Cortland. She moved to Georgetown in 1958 where was a home economics teacher at Otselic Valley Central School until retiring in 1991. On August 15, 1959, Phyllis married Gerald E. Evans in Georgetown. Together, they enjoyed showing their Ayrshire dairy cattle at local state and national shows. Gerald predeceased her on March 17, 1995.
Phyllis was an active member of the Georgetown United Methodist Church where she served as secretary and treasurer and was also a Sunday school teacher. She was a member and past President of the United Methodist Women, and had served as a lay member to the annual conference. She was a member of the Chenango County Retired Teachers Assoc.; was a member and treasurer for 18 years of the Otselic Valley Teachers Assoc.; a member of the New York State Retired Teachers Assoc.; the New York Ayrshire Club; the Finger Lakes Ayrshire Club; and a former member of the Chenango Water Exercise Group. She was a member of the Oriental Chapter Order of the Eastern Star #119 of Georgetown, where she was past Matron, past District Deputy Grand Matron in 1978, and the Commissioner of Appeal 1980-81. She was also a member of the O.E.S. Grand Chapter, State of New York and Daughters of the Nile, Utica, NY. Phyllis also served on the Board of the Hillside Cemetery Assoc. in Georgetown for many years, a 4H Leader, Georgetown Town Historian, Daughters of the Union Veterans of the Civil War, Tent # 71 of Bridgewater, as well as volunteering at the Georgetown Library and a very enthusiastic Yankee’s fan.
Surviving are her son, Dr. Douglas and Kathe Evans of Georgetown; daughter, Gail and Roland Evans Burpee of Georgetown; sisters, Annette Gilmore of Lyons, Eleanor and George Bump of Lyons; brothers, Theodore and Van Arend of Boston, MA, Gary Arend of Webster; sister-in-law, Sandra Arend of GA; grandchildren, Andrew and Abbie Evans of Athens, PA, Laura and Ethan Shaprio of Katy, TX, Gregory Evans and Dr. Kathy Mahon of Georgetown, Rachel Evans of Georgetown; great-grandchild , Emma Shaprio; and several nieces, nephews and cousins. She is predeceased by a brother, John Arend.
Funeral services will be held at 2pm on Tuesday, April 3, 2018 at the Georgetown United Methodist Church.
Interment will be in the spring at the Hillside Cemetery, Georgetown.
Friends are invited to call at the Burgess & Tedesco Funeral Home, 31 Cedar St., Morrisville on Monday, April 2, 2018 from 4-7pm. Daughters of the Nile will hold services at 7pm, followed by Order of the Eastern Star service at 7:30pm.
In lieu of flowers, contributions my send made to Eastern Star Home, 8290 NY-69, Oriskany, NY 13424 and American Red Cross, 125 Business Park Drive, Suite 200
Utica, NY 13502.
To send a condolence and sign the Book of Memories online go to www.burgessandtedescofuneralhomes.com