Phyllis M. Weiland, a former Meeker resident, was born to Guy McAlister and Gracie Hall McAlister on April 16, 1927, in Pueblo.
After a two-year courageous battle with ovarian cancer, she passed away surrounded by her five children on June 30, 2010.
Mom has been a daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt, cousin and cherished friend for 83 years. She enjoyed her time working in the records office at Mesa State College and made many close friends with whom she still enjoyed having lunch with at the retired secretaries’ luncheons. Whether she was off to spend time with friends, gathering with the ladies to play their weekly card came (which she loved to win) or going to church and breakfast on Sunday morning, we referred to her as the “Go-Go Girl.” Her dancing black eyes, that beautiful smile and uplifting spirit were a joy to everyone who knew her and will be sorely missed.
Phyllis is preceded in death by three brothers and one sister and is survived by her brother, David Guy McAlister, and five children, Ron (Cindy) Nielson, Treece Howey, Colleen Nielson, Rebecca (Ken) Storck and Tami Walter; granddaughters Landon (Kelcey) Pettit and Ivy Lee Howey; grandson Trevor Jens Nielson, and great-grandson Aidan Paul Pettit; along with an extended loving family including step-children and nieces and nephews.
To Mom … If roses grow in Heaven, Lord, please pick a bunch for us. Place them in our Mother’s arms, and tell her they’re from us. Tell her that we love her and miss her, and when she turns to smile, place a kiss upon her cheek and hold her for a while. Because remembering her is easy, we do it every day, but there is an ache within our hearts that will never go away.
The family will have a private service at a later date. We ask that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the American Cancer Society for Ovarian Cancer Research or Hospice & Palliative Care of Western Colorado.