Phyllis R Pillars

Phyllis Rozelle (Downey) Pillars was born in Hominy, Oklahoma on April 17, 1945. She was the daughter of Harold O. Downey, Sr. and Rozelle Geraldine (Streetman) Downey. She was initially raised and received her early childhood education in Hominy. Later she moved with her family to Illinois where she also attended school as her father accepted employment for Texaco. The family then returned to Hominy and in 1961 moved to Pineville, Missouri where she completed her education, graduating from Pineville High School in 1963. Shortly after graduation, she was married to Jim Ellis in Pineville, Missouri and the couple had two children, Donna Marie and Ila Jean. Phyllis later returned to Oklahoma and began a career as a nurseís aide in nursing homes in Osage and Pawnee Counties. In 1975 she married the love of her life, Thomas Charles Bolt. The couple made their home in Hominy where she had her two boys, Thomas Charles Bolt, II and John David Bolt. Her husband, Thomas was tragically killed in an oil rig accident in 1981 when her sons were very young. She later remarried and had another daughter, Rachel Sue in 1984. Phyllis worked most of her adult life as a Certified Nurseís Aide at the Hominy Nursing Home, until it closed, the Collinsville Nursing Home and then the Cleveland Manor Nursing Home. Phyllis was an avid Dallas Cowboy football fan, enjoyed Tri-Chem painting projects and sewing. She also enjoyed gardening, both flower and vegetables and canning tomatoes and pickles. She will be especially remembered for her Christmas Pickles, a sweet and spicy red pickle. She loved to listen to country music; her favorite artists being Reba McEntire and the Judds. She was described by her family as a loving and caring mother and grandmother who was head strong and a bit of a chatterbox. She never met a stranger and enjoyed visiting with anyone who would sit and chat. Phyllis was adamant about attending her church, the Church of Christ in Cleveland, where she was a faithful member. She loved her church and her church family. In October of 2009, Phyllis moved to Cleveland and made her home at the Baptist Village. She recently moved to the Southern Oaks Care Center in Pawnee where she went to be with the Lord on Thursday, January 13, 2011 at the age of sixty-five. In addition to her husband, Thomas Charles Bolt, she was preceded in death by her father, Harold O. Downey, Sr. She is survived by three daughters and their husbands, Donna and Ray McGrew of Cleveland, Oklahoma, Ila and Roger Potts of Cleveland, Oklahoma, and Rachel and Mike Saunders of Hominy, Oklahoma; two sons and their wives, Thomas and Rie Bolt of Oak Harbor, Washington and John and Jenny Bolt of Tulsa, Oklahoma; mother, Rozelle Geraldine Downey of Augusta, Kansas; 18 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; brother, Harold O. Downey, Jr. and wife, Joyce of Shawnee, Oklahoma; and a sister, Jeanette and James Browning of Augusta, Kansas.