Phyllis Huff (nee: Degenstein)
March 11, 1925 – April 9, 2021
Phyllis Huff was welcomed into the arms of her loving Savior on April 9, 2021 at the age of 96. She passed very peacefully at the Vulcan Health Centre Long Term Care Unit, where she had resided for the last 4 years. It is with heavy hearts that we mourn the passing of our wonderful Mom, Grandma, Great Grandma and Great Great Grandma. Yet, we rejoice that she left this world content and at peace.
Phyllis was born to Agnes and Peter Degenstein at Foremost, AB. From Foremost, they moved to Turin and eventually settled in the Lomond area where Phyllis went to a country school. Her life was very busy in her growing up years with her 10 siblings.
At the age of 18, she met her future husband, Henry Huff, when she and her sisters pushed him out of a mud hole after getting stuck. They married on April 18, 1943 in Lethbridge, AB. From this wedded life, they had 5 children, Henry farmed in the Lomond area and Phyllis mothered her children and provided loving care. She made sure the house was tidy, food was on the table and her family were very well taken care of.
Phyllis was active in the community, belonging to various clubs and was a life-time member of the Lomond Community Club. She was very active in the Lutheran Church as well and it nearly broke her heart when the church closed down in the later years. The Drop-In Sunshine Centre had many good times where card games took place, potluck suppers, Bingo playing, sing-songs – Phyllis enjoyed them all!
Her voracious love of reading was acknowledged by the Vulcan Library for reading the most books. Other interests included knitting and many mittens, slippers and afghans were knitted and many received an afghan from her.
Phyllis worked at the Lomond Community Hall doing dishes into the wee hours after many events. She did Home Care and enjoyed working with her clients. Phyllis also cleaned rooms at the Lomond Hotel and helped her son Bryan and daughter-in-law at the restaurant.
We all admired her ethics of hard working and she had the hands to prove it. All of us always noticed her hard working hands of love. Our Mom lived a long and sometimes tough life which included the Dirty 30’s, a World War, loving and supporting her husband Henry who was a successful farmer and operated a Trucking business. As well as raising 5 children, she instilled in them not to waste and many more life values that we still live by today.
Phyllis will be missed by her children – Sherry (Ron) Fernley, Bryan and Delmer Huff, Lorraine Wolff and Michael (Terry) Huff. She is also survived by 10 grandchildren, 19 great grandchildren and 1 great great grandchild, 3 sisters – Odell, Catherine and Florence, her youngest brother Mike and numerous nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her beloved husband Henry in 1999, 3 grandchildren – Nadine, Byran and Shannon, daughters-in-law Sharon Huff and Fay Huff, and son-in-law Henry Wolff. Although Mom will be greatly missed by her family, we find comfort that our parents are together again – Dancing in Heaven! A loving, devoted and caring woman who was loved beyond measure. Rest in Peace Mom – you deserve it and you are forever in our hearts.
A special thank you is extended to Dr. Wade who was her primary doctor over the years, and to the staff at Vulcan Long Term Care for the excellent care and attention she received at her last home. She was always treated with compassion and love. Phyllis was content and the staff and Residents became her friends. We thank you all from the bottom of our hearts.
A Private Family Graveside Service will be held at the Lomond Cemetery.
Tributes in Phyllis’ memory can be made to the Vulcan Community Health Centre, Long Term Care Unit, Box 299, Vulcan, AB T0L 2B0.
Arrangements in care of Vulcan Funeral Home. Telephone 1-403-485-2633. E-mail condolences through www.vulcanfuneralhome.ca.
I truly miss Phyllis and was very sad about her passing. From a former care provider when she was at the lodge I miss talking to her while I helped with dishes and housekeeping chores. She would also be very annoyed when others left food on their plates and would often have to be told to leave it alone and don’t eat it. She never liked waste. She definitely was a ferocious reader as I would often bring her books in the evening from the front desk. It was nice to see a resident doing something quiet beside sleeping and blaring the tv too loud. I often think of her and laugh at how quirky she could be sometimes. I enjoyed looking after her and now remember her with great fondness. RIP
Our deepest condolences goes out to all the family on the passing of your mom, grandma and great grandma. May your memories bring you comfort at this time. Our thoughts are with you.
Ron and Marg Schlaht
Gramma Huff will be sorely missed by our little part of her Family. Tina Martin my wife is Gramma’s grand daughter and our three children were always told about Gramma and how amazing she was. Gramma never missed a single birthday with a personalized card even for me and I was only a grand son inlaw. I used to have hours long conversations with Gramma about her farm and how she was doing. She always cared deeply for our family even though we were not able to visit often. She made the time to call us and make sure everyone was always OK. She was the best Gramma I ever had. I met her 27 years ago and knew right from the start she was the nicest kindest person I ever met. Tina her grand daughter, and her three great grand daughters Rebecca, Jessica and savanah and her great great grand daughter Francis will all miss her very much and will always remember her never ending kindness.
Thank you Gramma you are the best.
I know God has a special place for Phylimina Katerina Huff(Degenstein)
(She told me this is her name for real but went by Phylis).
Phyllis is gone, but she certainly left her mark on this world and will be missed and remembered with great fondness by all who knew her! To Sherry, Bryan, Delmer, Lorraine, Michael and their families I send my sympathy. 96 years makes for a long life and for Phyllis it was an eventful and a very productive one! She was a hard working woman who grew up through difficult times, enjoyed a long and happy marriage to Henry, raised a big family and gave lifelong service to that family, her church, and her community. Phyllis was “a constant” in our lives … a good soul and a good friend … and we remember her with love! Marvin Maronda of Lomond