|
 Phyllis
(Phyl) Marks so loved her husband. Having celebrated their 61st
wedding anniversary at Moravian Manor in Lititz in September, they
were in love just as much as the day she accepted his marriage
proposal in college. Years later when business took him away from
home for a week at a time, she would jump into his arms the moment
he walked through the door. Her passing on December 10th
after a brief illness leaves an empty place in his heart as well
as in the hearts of those who loved her.
Married August
21, 1949 to Edmund L. (Larry) Marks after a brief courtship where
they both attended Colorado State College in Fort Collins, CO,
they always counted each other as best friends. They did nearly
everything together.
 Phyl
was born September 27, 1927 in Monrose, Colorado to Dale and Norma
Evans and grew up in Grand Junction, CO. She attended Mesa State
Junior College majoring in interior decorating. After graduating,
she enrolled in Colorado State University in Fort Collins, CO
where she met Larry at a 'get acquainted' dance. Within two months
they were engaged and were married after graduation two years
later.
During the
course of Larry's career in the ice cream industry they lived in
five states before settling in Lancaster in 1971. A part of
Phyllis's heart was left in Springfield, MA where she buried her
five-year old daughter, Linda, who succumbed to leukemia two days
after Christmas. Perhaps this is why she always took special care
in celebrating the holidays to the best of her ability, being
generous with love, spirit and gifts. Tonight, she is reunited
with her 'little pooh' in time for Christmas.
Having raised
her two surviving children, David Marks of Lititz, PA and Sharon
Zecchinelli of Enosburg Fall, VT, Phyl pursued a career in
business, owning and operating Impact Marketing, an advertising
specialty company from 1979 to 1999. She was passionate about her
business and worked many long hours building a successful company.
She prided herself in knowing many of the products and
manufacturers she represented and was rewarded with a long list of
loyal customers. She was a dynamic sales woman and went to any
length to meet the needs of her customers. Phyl sold the company
to Exact Marketing, Lancaster, in 1999 but remained on staff as
marketing director and sales consultant before retiring several
years later.
During these
years she and Larry traveled extensively taking 28 trips overseas.
She loved golf, playing bridge and Mah Jongg with her friends. She
especially loved gardening, planting hundreds, if not thousands of
bulbs each Spring. She nurtured a dozen stubborn rose bushes for
many years before they finally flourished.
In 2002 she
and Larry moved to an independent living unit at Moravian Manor in
Lititz. Phyl was Chairman of the Manor Golf Group and a member of
the Community Life Committee. She taught Quilling to the ladies
group as she had published a book on Quilling, Quill with Phyl,
in 1970.
During her
career she was a member of the Lancaster Chamber of Commerce, the
Sunrise Rotary Club and after retirement, SCORE. She was a
lifelong member of the P.E.O.
Sisterhood,
a national philanthropic women's organization dedicated to the
advancement of women through education. She held many executive
positions in local chapters throughout her career.
Phyl cherished her four grandchildren, Hayley and Hannah Marks of
Lititz, Joel Ramsey of Enosburg Falls, VT and Courtney Algeo of
Minneapolis, MN. Her favorite activity was to bring her
granddaughters to ceramics class where they made anything and
everything that could be made out of clay. She taught Hayley and
Hannah how to play the piano. Phyl was always her grandchildren's
biggest supporter showing unquestionable faith in them, always
ready to help out in anyway she could.
Phyl was preceded in death by her sister, Eleanor Evans Butcher.
A Celebration of Life will be held at Charles F. Snyder Jr.
Funeral Home & Crematory 3110 Lititz Pk. Lititz, PA 17543 on
Monday, December 13, 2010 from 1:30-2:30pm. Interment
will be private in the Cedar Hill Cemetery, Ephrata.
The family
requests that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be
made in Phyl's memory to the Moravian Manor Endowment Fund, 300
Lemon Street, Lititz, PA 17543. To send the family online
condolences please visit SnyderFuneralHome.com. Charles F. Snyder
Jr. Funeral Home & Crematory 717-560-5100 |
