Phyllis Vander Sluis

Phyllis Vander Sluis
Primghar, Iowa
Services for Phyllis Vander Sluis, age 86, of Primghar who passed away on Tuesday, November 10, 2020 at Prairie View Home in Sanborn. A private family graveside will be held at Waterman Cemetery in Sutherland.
Visitation without family present will be from 3-5 P.M. on both Thursday, November 12, 2020 and Friday, November 13, 2020 at the Eldridge Family Funeral Home in Primghar.
Masks are required at the visitation.

Phyllis Jean (Mehrens) Vander Sluis was born on August 25, 1934. She passed away at Prairie View Nursing Home on November 10, 2020, after falling ill with the COVID-19 virus. She was 86.
Phyllis was the only one in her Gaza High School class to attend college. She earned a teaching certificate at Buena Vista College in Storm Lake and taught fifth grade in Linn Grove, Iowa. She married Ronald Vander Sluis on October 25, 1953 and had four children. As soon as the kids were in school, she went back to complete her bachelor’s degree at Northwestern College in Orange City. She taught for several years at Zion Lutheran School in Paullina, Iowa. She valued her education and made sure that all of her children attended college, too.
Phyllis was intelligent and creative, always ready to learn new things. She loved to read and kept “Build Your Vocabulary” books next to her easy chair. She played a little golf, enjoyed piano and organ, and was competitive in card-playing—especially bridge. Her major passion, though, was quilting. She persevered through eyesight problems and a stroke, to complete more than 200 quilts. She enjoyed the friendship and support of fellow quilters in Threads & Friends quilt group. Another signature achievement for Phyllis was the writing of a genealogical record of the Dau family.
Phyllis was a loyal, life-long member of Bethel Lutheran Church in Sutherland, Iowa. She taught confirmation classes, served with the Lamplighters and as a member of the Altar Guild, and volunteered countless hours of service. She was also a member of the American Legion Auxiliary.
Phyllis is preceded in death by her parents, Karl and Mary (Rohrs) Mehrens; her husband, Ronald; and her son, Gary. She is survived by her children: Steven, of Plainview, TX; Jolene, of Omaha, NE; and Rhonda, of Portland, OR and her wife, Cynthia Rosene. She was much-loved and will be missed by many other relatives and friends.