March 26, 1922 - January 15, 2019
Phyllis R. Frisk was born in a house near the church on the hill overlooking the lake in Center City, Minnesota on March 26, 1922. As kids we drove by the house many times when we visited relatives on the surrounding farms. It is one of about ten historic houses that are in a row just down from the church. Her family soon moved to south Minneapolis at first to a house that had only an outhouse for a bathroom. After a brief stay the family moved to the bungalow near Sibley Park. Phyllis was a good student. In elementary school she skipped a grade. She was a graduate of Roosevelt High School. Her first job was in the infants department at Dayton’s. She later worked at a bank near seven corners.
Soon after high school she met our dad Wilmont, the love of her life. World War II broke out and just after Pearl Harbor our dad enlisted in the Navy. Phyllis and Wilmont were married while our dad was on leave in the summer of 1943. They immediately moved to San Francisco and soon our dad was sent to the South Pacific. After the war Doug was born and soon Craig followed. Mom became a stay-at-home mom – the norm in those days. In 1951, the family moved from near Franklin Avenue in the Phillips neighborhood to 58th and 11th Avenue in south Minneapolis. Phyllis lived in that house until 2012. In the late 1950s she began working at Sears Lake Street where she became the head cashier. Both of our parents retired in their early 60s and enjoyed 15 years of winters in Hawaii, California, and Arizona. After Wilmont died Phyllis stayed in the house for 12 years until the summer of 2012.
She is survived by sons Douglas (Kathleen) and his daughter, Megan (Hans) Henning, Craig (Jeanne) and his children, Ryan (Jodi) Frisk, and Melissa (Adam) Gasser; 5 great grandchildren; sisters Aljean Aubrecht, Ruth Brophy and many nieces and nephews
Memorials preferred to Mt. Olivet Lutheran Church or Presbyterian Homes of Arden Hills
Memorial Service
Wednesday, January 23, 2019
1:00 PM
Her family will greet friends one hour before the service at church
Mt. Olivet Lutheran Church
50th Street and Knox Avenue South
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55419
Doug and Craig
I have many happy childhood memories playing wiffle ball with both of you and the other neighborhood kids. Your mom was always so cheerful friendly and never complained about us using your yard for center field. It’s great she and your Dad were able to enjoy their retirement and she was able to stay in the same house for so many years!
So sorry to hear about Phyllis’s passing. My dad Everett and I heard just yesterday from Don Engstrom at Pres Homes of Bloomington. My folks were lifelong friends of Wilmont and Phyllis and my dad had fortunately reconnected with her as neighbors for a few years at Pres Homes. He’s told the story of their meeting many times. Before my mom Elaine was in the picture Ev had gone a date with a girl (who’s name he can’t recall now) who wanted to bring along her friend Phyllis and suggested that he do the same. So he brought his good friend Wilmont. Things didn’t work out with my dad’s date but it seems that Wilmont and Phyllis had really hit it off! So Ev was very sad to hear this news. Our heartfelt sympathies go out to the family.