Phyllis J Auen

Phyllis Jean Arnold Auen was born September 10, 1919, the daughter of Charles and Blanche McBride. She died at the Eventide Lutheran Home, Friday, November 27, 2015 at the age of ninety-six.
Phyllis was born on a farm near Buck Grove, Iowa. She received her education in the Dow City Community Schools, graduating with the class of 1936. She continued her education at the Denison Normal College and received her teaching certificate. Phyllis taught for a couple of years in country schools near Buck Grove. She was united in marriage to Elmer Arnold, January 5, 1941. The couple settled on a farm near Buck Grove. They were blessed with the birth of six children. After the death of Elmer in 1964, Phyllis was united in marriage to Orville Auen, April 4, 1967. Orville and Phyllis farmed North of Buck Grove until retiring in 1988 when they moved to Denison.
In her leisure time, Phyllis enjoyed reading; especially mysteries, and working crossword puzzles with such confidence that she marked them in ink. She loved socializing with family and friends and playing cards. She enjoyed keeping up with her children and grandchildren’s activities. After losing her eyesight shortly after Orville died in 2003, she enjoyed listening to the news and Polka music on KDSN and following the local basketball and baseball teams on the radio. Books on tape, provided by the Iowa Commission for the Blind, became a big part of her life. Phyllis was a big Chicago Cubs fan. She was an excellent cook and baker and won a Blue Ribbon at the Crawford County Fair for her bread. Her Popcorn Balls were a favorite of the neighborhood kids at Halloween. She canned vegetables from her garden and enjoyed the bounty from her asparagus patches. She and Orville spent several winters in South Texas, and enjoyed visiting Mexico. They belonged to the Coachman Camper Club and met fellow camping friends at various campgrounds in the summer. Phyllis was baptized in Christ as an adult in 1941 at the Zion Lutheran Church in Denison and was a member of Zion Lutheran Church and a member of their Ladies Aid.
Phyllis was preceded in death by her parents, one brother, Wright , two sisters, Bernice and Barbara; two sons, Frederick in infancy and Allen, who died in Vietnam; one daughter, Jean; Phyllis’s first husband, Elmer and her second husband, Orville; one grandson, Verlyn; great grandson, Michael; and step-great-grandson, Devon. Survivors include two sons, Edward and his wife, Cecilia; Merlin and his wife, Janice; one daughter, Neila and her husband, Miles; son-in-law, Russell; two step-children; Rollin and his wife Norma, and Joyce and her husband Ron; eight grandchildren, thirteen great-grandchildren, five great great-grandchildren; seven step-grandchildren and several step-great-grandchildren; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.