Phyllis Jean Corrie

by Lynn McMillen
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Phyllis Jean Corrie – died on August 19, 2019 due to complications with her Botox injections and breast augmentation surgery that she was having done to provide for extra flotation in case she fell off the pontoon while fishing. She blames these late-life decisions on her not learning how to swim when she was younger.

Phyllis was born to Merritt and Stella Needham in San Bernardino CA on November 15 th , 1944. After WWII, Phyllis’s parents moved back to Michigan where she grew up around her family in Portage and Kalamazoo. Phyllis played violin with her high school orchestra and graduated Portage High School in 1963. She attended Ferris Institute in Big Rapids, MI. Phyllis met the love of her life while attending college and married Glen Dale Corrie on September 10 th , 1966. The couple lived in Big Rapids for a short while until the unfortunate incident with the water tower when they decided to live in Portage, MI.

Phyllis worked at Upjohn Pharmaceuticals for a couple of years before becoming a full-time homemaker and raising her three children. In order to mitigate the path of destruction made by her three children, Phyllis volunteered with many organizations in her community. She was active in PTO as a parent and as a Den Mother for Cub Scout pack 255. Phyllis also volunteered with the Girl scouts. Phyllis was famous amongst her family and friends for her cooking and it is possible that her fresh baked dinner rolls were the most requested bread item in the Midwest. She swears it was all about the flour, but we still wonder to this day what secret ingredient she used… Phyllis and Glen also owned a craft business. While Phyllis created and sold different floral arrangements, thousands of kids across the world have had an opportunity to play with her life-like hand sewn fur puppets. Phyllis donated many puppets to soldiers going to Afghanistan to be given to children in that war-torn area.

Later in life, Phyllis took joy in helping with her grandchildren. Once again, she served as a Cub Scout leader for Cub Scout Pack 3609 as her two grandsons made their way through scouts. After she and Glen retired to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, she was able to spend more time with her two passions– fishing and championship pogo stick riding. Later, as part of the witness protection program, she and Glen moved to Mississippi to live with her son. Phyllis attended The Orchard where she enjoyed worshiping.

Phyllis was preceded in death by her parents, Merritt and Stella Needham, her sister, Janice Wasko, her husband, Glen Corrie, and granddaughter, Kayla Corrie.

She is survived by her three children, Tony Corrie (Robyn), Pamela Basal (Michael), Karen Latoski (Kevin). Grandchildren, Benjamin (Mary), Megan, Brittany (Dustin), Jesse (Delayni), Dakota (Kezziah), Audra, Matthew and Great Grandchildren Jessalynn, Brittyn, and Sebastian.

At Phyllis’s request, there will not be a funeral at this time. She asked that donations be made to Sanctuary Hospice House as way of thanking them for their excellent care they gave her.

Senter Funeral Home is assisting the family with the arrangements.

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