Phyllis Darlene Thompson

Phyllis Darlene Thompson, age 86, passed away peacefully of natural causes on November 4, 2020.  She was born May 21, 1934 in West Milton, Ohio the daughter of Dorothy (Heisey) Yount and Howard Yount. She graduated from Milton-Union High School in 1952.  She earned a B.S. Degree in Elementary Education from Manchester University in 1956 and a Master’s Degree in Elementary Education through LaVerne University in 1976. In 1960 she and her family were seconded to the National Council of Churches of Indonesia serving on the island of Ambon until 1963.  The family moved to Elgin, IL in 1963 and she taught third grade at South Elgin’s Willard Elementary School from 1969-2000. During her teaching career, she was recognized five times for teaching excellence in “Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers.”  In 1978 she was honored with Kane County’s Distinguished Educator Award and the Illinois State Board of Education’s Award for Educational Excellence.  In 1999 the Kiwanis Club of South Elgin honored her as Willard’s Teacher of the Year. Professional groups she was active in were: Illinois Education Association, National Education Association, Illinois Retired Teachers’ Association, Elgin Area Retired Teachers’ Association (EARTA), and the sorority Alpha Delta Kappa (Psi Chapter) serving on the EARTA Board and as the ADK President.  She was a subscribing member of the Elgin Symphony Pops Concert Series, events she always enjoyed sharing with friends. She grew up in the Quaker (Friends) faith in Ohio and later joined the Church of the Brethren.  She was an active member of Elgin’s Highland Avenue Church of the Brethren congregation and sung in the church choir, served on the church board and several church committees, and taught Sunday school. She moved to the Timbercrest Retirement Community in North Manchester, IN in 2017. Surviving are two sons: George Kevin Thompson and daughter-in-law Brigid (Holland) Thompson of Houston, TX and Howard Kraig Thompson and daughter-in-law Janet (Farkas) Thompson of Stafford, VA.  One daughter: Renee (Thompson) Uliassi and son-in-law Kevin Uliassi of Phoenix, AZ.  Five grandsons: Patrick Thompson, Peter Farkas, Steven Farkas, Joel Uliassi and Adam Uliassi.  Two sisters Judy Roush and brother–in-law Dwaine Roush and Karen Stoltz Wahlstrom and brother-in-law Ken Wahlstrom.  She was an Aunt to nieces Jenny Dean and Jennifer Hayes and nephew Jamison Stoltz, and a Great Aunt to their children. She was preceded in death by her parents, maternal and paternal grandparents, nephew J.D Roush, and many beloved relatives. Memorial Services will be held at Hale-Sarver Funeral Home in West Milton, Ohio on November 12, 2020.  A public visitation will be held from 10-11 AM followed by a private family funeral that will be live streamed on the Hale-Sarver Facebook page. and interment at Riverside Cemetery. Memorials may be given to Manchester University’s A Capella Choir (260.982.5292)

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