Phyllis B. Whittaker, 78, of Carbondale, KS died Monday, November 30, 2020 at Stormont Vail Hospital, Topeka.
She was born February 9, 1942 in Cottage Hills, IL the daughter of William Amos Bryant and Mary (Hayes) Bryant. She eventually moved to Colby, KS with her dad and brothers. She attended and graduated from Colby High School. She was raised by her stepmother Pearl Ramsey of Colby, KS.
On May 20, 1960, Phyllis was united in marriage to Raymond Andrew Whittaker, Sr. at the home of her stepsister, Betty Carney’s home in Colby, KS. During her early married life, Phyllis and her husband worked on a harvest crew bailing hay or she would do ironing for people in the Brewster, KS and Colby, KS community. Due to Raymond’s job with the Army National Guard, they moved their family to Carbondale, KS. They shared twenty-eight years of marriage until his death in 1988.
In 1971 Phyllis and Raymond moved to Carbondale, KS. Over her life Phyllis worked as a housekeeping supervisor for eleven years at St. Francis Hospital, Topeka, Brookside Retirement Community Overbrook, KS for a year, and U.S.D. 434, Santa Fe Trail. For thirty years she was a Licensed Day Care Provider, caring for numerous children in the Carbondale community.
She was a member of the Jobe’s Daughters and V.F.W. Auxiliary #11255 of Carbondale, KS.
Phyllis loved to bake. She was famous in town for her wonderful bread and her delicious cinnamon rolls. Her children loved her homemade chocolate pies best. She was an avid fan of the Kansas City Royals, Kansas City Chiefs and Kansas University Jayhawks. She would often call family and go over how the games went. She always had a well-kept flower garden and enjoyed puzzles. She had a soft heart for the community stray cats. She loved them all but her indoor cats Bootsy and Simba was her favorites. She always worried about her kids. She would often check up on them just to make sure things were going well. She was well known in the family for her 5 a.m. phone calls. She loved all of her family with all of her heart.
She was preceded in death by her parents; Amos Bryant, Mary Kinser, Pearl Ramsey, her husband, Raymond A. Whittaker, Sr; five brothers, William “Bill” Bryant, Howard Bryant, Darrell Bryant, Edward Bryant, Dwight Kinser; and two sisters, Joann Pinkowski, and Kathy Kinser.
She is survived by two sons, Raymond A. Whittaker, Jr. and his wife, Dovian, Carbondale, KS, Randy Whittaker, Carbondale, KS; two daughters, Corrina Clements and her husband, Bryan, Topeka, KS, Rosanne McPherson, Ozawkie, KS; seven grandchildren; Tina Smith, (Chad) Natasha Whittaker (Wes), Justin Whittaker (Marguerite), Gary McPherson, Jessi Harris (Chris), Marcus Clements, Joshua Whittaker (Morgan); five great-grandchildren: Cody Rosebaugh, Amelya, Jace, Bryella Simpson, and Kohen Whittaker; two brothers, Jim Bryant, Wood River, IL, and Claude Kinser; and one sister, Sandy Buttry, Springfield, MO.
Private family graveside services will be held. Memorial contributions may be made to Helping Hands Humane Society and sent c/o Lamb-Roberts-Price Funeral Home, P.O. Box 268, Overbrook, KS 66524. Condolences may be sent to the family through www.lamb-roberts.com.
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