Phyllis I. Everling

After nearly 102 years of life well-lived, Phyllis Everling breathed her last on 8/30/2023 at 9:38 a.m. while listening to “I’ll Fly Away.” 

Phyllis Ellis Everling was born on October 11th, 1921. She was raised the second youngest of her siblings to her mother, Goldie Moon Ellis, and her father, Alfred Omer Ellis, In 1938, she married George Everling and also gave birth to her oldest son, Gordon Everling. The couple also welcomed Thad Everling into their lives in 1942. Outside of her two sons, many throughout the years have looked at her as a mother figure, and fondly referred to her as such. 

Phyllis was reborn and dedicated her life to Jesus Christ on September 16, 1956. From then on, she worked to establish faith firmly into her life and into the lives of those in her family. Phyllis’s family grew with the addition of two daughters-in-law. Gail “Toni” Everling married Gordon in 1959 and June Everling married Thad in 1963.  

In 1962, her family grew yet again and she welcomed her first grandchild, Greg Everling. Throughout the next few years, she welcomed three more grandchildren: Gary, Gail, and Lorna. 

After 41 years of marriage, Phyllis suffered great loss when her husband, George, passed away. Since then, she has greatly missed him and anticipated seeing him again. In the years that followed, she had the joy of watching each of her grandchildren find their own spouses. Greg married Jane Everling, Gail married Richard Gregory, Gary married Jackie Everling, and Lorna married Mark Stevens. 

Beginning in 1992, Phyllis took great joy and pride in being a great-grandmother to nine children. Her great-grandchildren are: Alyssa (Justin) Gillespie, Rachel (William) Bennett, Wade Gregory, Matthew Everling, Jayce (Lydia) Everling, Alex Stevens, Evan Gregory, Cheyenne Gregory, and Kaci Gregory. 

As her family grew, she continued to experience the loss of her siblings, nieces, nephews, and others. The most heartbreaking for her was the loss of her son, Thad Everling, in 2019. 

Throughout the latter years of her life, Phyllis retained incredible strength, prayed continually, was blessed to see three of her great-grandchildren be married, attributed her health to the Lord’s goodness, and was able to see the birth of two great-great-grandchildren, Peter “PJ” Bennett and Ellen Everling in 2022 and 2023 respectively. 

Phyllis yearned in her last days to see the Lord and those whom she had lost. She will be greatly missed by those who loved her most, including her son Gordon, daughter-in-law, her grandchildren, grandchildren-in-law, great-grandchildren, great-grandchildren-in-law, great-great-grandchildren, extended family, and dear friends. All listed are grateful for the time they enjoyed with her but are thankful she is where she desired to be most: In the presence of the Most High God. 

Funeral services will be at 1:00 pm on Tuesday, September 5, 2023 in the Hampton-Gentry Funeral Home, Plainfield, where friends may call on Tuesday from 11:00 am until service time at 1:00 pm.  Burial will follow in Maple Hill Cemetery, Plainfield.