Phyllis Weikum, 86, Harvey, passed away Sunday, Oct. 6, 2013 at the St. Aloisius Nursing Home in Harvey. Her funeral will be held Friday, Oct. 18 at 3:00 p.m. at the Manfred Seventh-day Adventist Church of rural Manfred with burial in the church cemetery. Arrangements with Nelson Funeral Home of Fessenden.

Phyllis Marie Greene was born March 17, 1927 in Gravity, IA the third of four children of Eugene Joseph and Ruth Janette (Jessup) Greene. Her father was a minister and her mother was very involved in church work all her life. The family moved among several central Iowa towns during her early years according to the needs of her parents' ministry. They lived in Des Moines for a while where her father advanced his education at Drake University. Phyllis became devoted to church life herself and served in many lay positions through the years.

Phyllis attended Oak Park Academy in Nevada, Iowa. She was in the graduating class of 1945. The next year found Phyllis at Union College where she majored in Elementary Education. While she was in school, Phyllis enjoyed singing. She participated in trios and choirs, and continued to do so in her adult life. After graduating, Phyllis used her training at a junior academy for one year. She then worked at an insurance company the following year.

During the Thanksgiving holiday in 1947, Phyllis met her future husband, Ray Weikum, who had come to visit his brother. Whatg attracted Phyllis to Ray the most was his gentle interactions with children. While dating, the two would go to Reed's Ice Cream Store where they ordered sundaes. On July 13th, 1948, in Des Moines, they began their 65 year journey together. They moved to Walla Walla, Washington after the wedding. In 1953, they moved to Moses Lake, Washington. Phyllis loved to entertain house guests. They often had the visiting pastor and his family over for Sabbath lunch after church. While living in Washington, Phyllis raised their children while Ray traveled back and forth to North Dakota to help with the family business of farming. The family moved to North Dakota for good in 1958. They lived in Raub and later Anamoose and Bismarck for a short time before settling on a farm near Harvey in 1963. Phyllis was a member of the rural Manfred Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Later, during the winters, Phyllis and Ray escaped the cold weather by heading south in their camper. They visited Arizona, Texas, California and most importantly Colorado where their grown children and grandchildren resided.

Phyllis was a devoted wife, homemaker, and mother. It was evident that she enjoyed her responsibilities due to her humming and singing as she went about her day. On Friday evenings, you could find Phyllis practicing music for the coming Sabbath. As well as keeping a tidy house, Phyllis enjoyed working in the yard. She and Ray had an expansive garden that provided their family with lots of fresh grown food. She also took time to pick fruit from trees and bushes in Washington and North Dakota. Flowers could be seen planted around the house. God's beautiful nature is something Phyllis truly enjoyed.

Phyllis is survived by daughters, Roberta Kay Evans of Rochester, MN and Dessa Rae (Dennis) Kreiter of Littleton, CO; son, Marlin (Denise) Weikum of Franktown, CO; and 4 grandchildren, Michelle Weikum, Elizabeth (Caleb) Heinrich, Ben (Victoria) Kreiter and Jared (Joylyn) Weikum. Also surviving are sisters Shirley Phoenix of Fairfield Bay, Arkansas and Alberta Brown of Banning, California and her brother Robert (Lou) Greene of Bel Aire, Maryland. She is preceded in death by her husband Ray, and her parents.

Phyllis is now resting with her husband awaiting Christ's return to bring them home.