The life of longtime West Seattleite Phyllis Evangeline High will be celebrated this Saturday, and tonight, her family shares this remembrance:

Phyllis was born on August 2, 1923 in Taunton, Minnesota, to Casper & Lily Ningen. After she graduated from high school in 1941, her older brother drove Phyllis and her sister to Seattle to give them the opportunities available in a big city. She found employment at Associated Shipbuilders and there met the love of her life, Jack High, Jr. They married on April 22, 1944, and a few short months later Jack shipped out to serve in WWII, returning in 1946.

For the next thirty years, Phyllis kept busy as a stay-at-home mom to her three children, Jacki, Meredith and Jeffery. In 1977 she joined the workforce again and worked her way up to being a License Enforcement Inspector for the City of Seattle, retiring in 1989. She was a member of Teamsters Local #763, Washington State Investigators Association, and carried Badge #327, Special Police Officer.

Phyllis was a member of Hope Lutheran Church and loved singing in the choir there.

She belonged to the West Seattle Garden Club, Beach Pipers, Rain Country Players, and the Granada Organ Loft Club. She was active in PTA, Boy Scouts, and the United Way, and would donate generously to every person or organization that asked.

With retirement came more time to enjoy traveling to Europe, Las Vegas and many other favorite destinations. She loved bowling, sewing without the need of patterns, cooking without the need of recipes, and going to Longacres. She loved to lavish gifts on the grandchildren and was always the first to grab the check for meals out.

She was preceded in death by Jack, her loving husband of 61 years, and grandson Lucas Leahy. She will be missed by her three children, Jacki (Steven) Yust, Meredith Leahy, and Jeffery (Jana) High, grandsons Thomas (Debbie) Leahy, Ryan (Dawnette) Yust, and granddaughters Monica (Mike) Kenny, Renee Capeloto, and Jennifer Yust. She also leaves behind great-grandchildren Christopher and Alicia Leahy, Jacob & Kirsten Kenny, Carissa, Arianna and Sierra Capeloto, Cassie & Cori Montgomery, and Camryn Yust.

Sunrise of Mercer Island Assisted Living was home for Phyllis the last five years of her life. The loving care she received there from staff and caregivers was a true gift for which the family will be forever grateful.
We will miss you, Mom.

A celebration of Phyllis’s life will be held at Evergreen Washelli Chapel on December 15 (Saturday) at 2 pm. Donations can be made to Providence Hospice.

(WSB publishes obituaries by request, free of charge. Please e-mail the text, and a photo if available, to editor@westseattleblog.com)