Phyllis Phagan passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on December 8, 2023, at the age of 98.
Phyllis, the daughter of Gilbert and Elizabeth (Hrdlicka) Wagner, was born November 4, 1925, at Fremont, NE. When she was 3 years old the family moved to Howells, NE. In 1937 the family again moved to Morrill, NE, where she graduated from Morrill High School in 1943. After graduation Phyllis spent a year in Denver attending Barnes Business School.
Phyllis moved back to Morrill and worked for Brown Bean Co. At that same time her special Marine friend, Carroll Phagan, came home on furlough after spending 18 months in the South Pacific. Within a short month of his arrival, they were married on July 18, 1944. Phyllis always said, "I knew Carroll for several years but never had a date with him." They dated through 63 years of marriage before he passed.
In 1961, Carroll and Phyllis moved to North Platte because of his job. Phyllis worked for the Holiday Inn from opening day on June 15th until July 1994. She retired and volunteered for R.S.V.P. She loved playing cards and spent many hours piecing and hand quilting quilts for her children and grandchildren.
Phyllis and Carroll were members of Holy Spirit Catholic Church and belonged to the Lake Maloney Golf Course Association. They were active in the transition of sand greens to grass greens on the front nine.
Along with her beloved husband, Carroll, Phyllis was preceded in death by their infant son, Phillip; her parents, Gilbert and Elizabeth Wagner; parents-in-law, Carl and Grace Phagan; sisters, Eileen Beck and Donna Brazda; and son-in-law, Don Scott.
She is survived by her sons, Dale (Paula) Phagan of Corrales, NM, and Matt (Linda) Phagan of North Platte; daughters, Sally Scott of Camano Island, WA, and Julie (Ed) Peldo of Ft. Smith, AR; grandchildren: Kirsten (Tony), Mindy, Marisa (Sam), Samie, Jessica (Clarence) and Eric (Julie); great-grandchildren: Alexis, Braylon, Blake, William, Grace, Peightan and Sherry; brother-in-law, Bob (Ellen) Phagan; and other family.
Services will be held on Tuesday, July 9. Rosary service begins at 9 a.m. followed by Mass of Christian Burial at 9:30 a.m. at Holy Spirit Catholic Church with Celebrant Father Sagar. Inurnment will follow at Fort McPherson National Cemetery. Online condolences may be shared at odeanchapel.com. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to Holy Spirit Catholic Church or Goodfellow Shoe Fund. Odean Colonial Chapel at C & Sycamore is in charge of arrangements.