Phyllis Ann Lewis, 91, long-time resident of Hill City, Kansas, died Wednesday May 21, 2025, at the Good Samaritan Society, Hays, Kansas. She was born December 24, 1933, in Hays to Henry M. and Fedora M. (Hamel) Berland.
Phyllis graduated from high school in Palco, Kansas in 1951 and went on to earn a degree in Home Economics from Fort Hays State College in 1955.
Phyllis married Harold V. Lewis July 16, 1955, in Zurich, Kansas. Together they raised three children: Susan Lorenzen, Mary Kay Davignon, and Steven Lewis. She was a proud and loving grandmother to her six grandchildren: Sarah (Lorenzen) Kinney, Heather (Lorenzen) Adams, Blake Davignon, Abby (Davignon) Mills, Cody Lewis, and Mackenzie (Lewis) McCoy, and her 17 great-grandchildren.
Phyllis approached every role in her life with enthusiasm and excellence. She worked as a bookkeeper for the family business, Lewis Motor Company in Hill City, for many years. Alongside two dear friends, she also co-founded The Flower Cottage, a local shop that showcased her keen eye for design and style. A gifted seamstress, Phyllis generously shared her talent by mentoring young people through 4-H and helping create costumes for school and community theater productions. She inspired many with her hands-on approach to teaching and her passion for creativity. Her artistic flair extended to painting, and her work was often displayed in the homes of family and friends. Phyllis also served as a substitute teacher at local schools, touching the lives of countless students. She was known for her warm hospitality, incredible cooking, and love of entertaining. She cherished time spent with friends, especially over coffee or a game of Bridge, and she was actively involved in local clubs and organizations.
A devout member of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Hill City, Phyllis was always ready to lend a helping hand to those in need.
Phyllis is survived by her children: Susan Lorenzen and husband Larry, Anita, Iowa: Mary Kay Davignon and husband, Mike of Bogue; and Steven Lewis and wife, Carey, of Hays; as well as her six grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.
Phyllis was preceded in death by her parents, her brother, Leroy Berland, of Hays; two sisters, Patricia Lietz, of Wichita, and Diane Tesley-Saindon, of Phillipsburg, and a grandson, Matthew Lorenzen.
A Funeral Mass will be held 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, June 11, 2025, at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, Hill City, Kansas with burial following at Kansas Veterans’ Cemetery, Wakeeney, Kansas. Memorials are suggested to Hays Hospice or the Hays Good Samaritan Society and may be sent to Phyllis Lewis Memorial, in care of Stinemetz Funeral Home, 522 North Pomeroy, Hill City, Kansas 67642. Arrangements are by Stinemetz Funeral Home.