Phyllis Miller

Phyllis Elaine (Upstone) Miller, 89, of Machesney Park, passed away Wednesday, August 4, 2021, surrounded by her children.  Born September 27, 1931, at home in Fairdale, Illinois.  She was the daughter of Floyd and Alta (Abbott) Upstone.  Growing up in Fairdale, the family moved to the Rockford area in 1945.  She came from a one-room school to attending East High School which was a multi-story facility.  The adjustment was hard for her, and she was homesick for her small town of Fairdale.  Weeks later her parents asked her if she wanted to move back to Fairdale and she was dead set against that for she had gotten used to the school and her new friends.  During high school she played on a Rockford baseball league, sometimes playing against the Rockford Peaches.  Soon after she graduated from East High School.  At that time, she worked at Bishop Cafeteria in downtown Rockford.  It was there that she met her future husband.  On December 2, 1953, she married Royce Miller.  He had enlisted in the Air Force which sent them to Biloxi, Mississippi.  While stationed in Biloxi their first daughter, Patricia, was born.  He was later sent to California where daughter, Joyce, was born.  After Royce was discharged from the Air Force the family moved back to Rockford where their only son, Michael, was born.  In 1960, they purchased their one and only home in North Park where they completed their family with the births of Melody, Holly, and Penny.  Royce passed away unexpectedly on July 22, 1972, and Phyllis was left to raise their kids alone.  She truly loved being a mom and was very active in her children’s lives.  She was a room mother at Marquette Elementary School for 19 years, along with volunteering in many school activities.  She was a Girl Scout Leader, a Sunday School Teacher at Evans United Methodist Church, and a clown at many grade school events.  When her children started high school, she joined the Harlem Fans Club.  She was the president for several years, where she organized bingo at the high school and participated in the pancake breakfast, she helped run the concession stands, and the souvenir booths at sporting events and most of the time had the kids in tow; she spent many nights and weekends volunteering for the Fans Club.  She was also on the Board of Directors at Roseland Cemetery in Fairdale.  When her last child entered middle-school she started working at Geri’s Hamburgers, Kmart, and she was a bus driver for the Harlem School District for about 15 years.  Most of the time holding two of the jobs at once.  Phyllis enjoyed driving the school bus and ironically that is where she learned to swear.  She loved children, especially everyone else’s.  She loved to joke and laugh with people and loved to give them a hard time, only to have them give it right back to her.  Phyllis loved to play a variety of card games and always accepted an offer to play.  She was a very loving and caring mother and always put the needs of her children first, they will miss her dearly.  Survivors include her children, Joyce (Martin), Michael (Debbie), Melody (Donald), Holly (Brian), and Penny (Jeff); grandchildren, Andrea (Ryan), Bryan, Cambrea (Emily), Andee (Tom), KC (Daimon), Michael (Nicki), and Meredith (Jill); great-grandchildren, Bryson, Eliya, Tristan, Harper, Emmersyn, Caden, Lukasz, and Amelia; sisters-in-law, Leona and Marian; and many nieces and nephews.  Preceded in death by her parents; husband; daughter, Patricia; brothers, Floyd Jr., Dale, and Paul; and sisters, Betty and Carol.  Special thanks to Larry and Anna May and to Dan and Krissy.

Service at noon Monday, August 9, 2021, in Delehanty Funeral Home, Ltd., 401 River Lane, Loves Park, with visitation from 10 a.m. to service time.  Burial in Sunset Memorial Gardens.  In lieu of flowers, memorials to Juvenile Diabetes Foundation.