CLEVELAND, January 14 — Phyllis Sytsma, the wife of former BLE International President John F. Sytsma, passed away on January 10, 2004. She fought Alzheimer’s disease for more than eight years.
Phyllis was born in Paterson, N.J., on Sept. 3, 1922 to Anthony and Ruth Laggner Stingle. She married her high school sweetheart, John Frederick Sytsma, in 1942. She raised two daughters: Jackie and Ruth Ann.
She was a wonderful support to her husband during his years as President of the BLE, traveling with him all over the United States and Canada. Together, they attended many functions in Washington, D.C., including two White House State Dinners. President Sytsma held the Brotherhood’s highest office from 1976-1986. He served as First Vice-President from 1974-1976 and as General Secretary-Treasurer from 1962-1974.
When John retired, the couple moved from Cleveland, Ohio, to Utah to be near family. Phyllis was a member of First Presbyterian Church in Salt Lake City. Phyllis was preceded in death by her parents and her sister, Lucille Hoskins of Hawthorne, NJ.
She is survived by her husband John and two daughters, Jacqueline (Floyd) Pruitt of Dunwoody, Ga., and Ruth (Bruce) Lubbers of Salt Lake City; four grandchildren, Mark Lubbers of Salt Lake, Sarah (Phillip) Torrence of Kalamazoo, Mich., and Jonathan and Joshua Pruitt of Dunwoody, Ga. Phyllis has two great-grandchildren: John Mark Torrence and Grace Claire Torrence of Kalamazoo, Mich.
Funeral services will be held at the First Presbyterian Church, 12 North C Street, Salt Lake City, on Thursday, January 15 at 11 a.m. Phyllis will be interred in Mt. Olivet Cemetery, 1342 E. 500 S. Family and friends are invited to return to the church afterwards for a light lunch (Funeral Directors, Neil O’Donnell and Sons).
The family thanks the staff at Garden Terrace Alzheimer’s Care Center for the professional and loving care given to Phyllis. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Camp Kostopulos, Phyllis’s favorite charity, at 2500 Emigration Canyon Road, Salt Lake City, UT 84108.
(From the Salt Lake Tribune with additional information from BLE Editors.)