Phyllis Neu

PHYLLIS NEU Phyllis Ann Neu passed away from heart failure on Sept. 28, 2005. She was born in Elkton, South Dakota on Dec. 1, 1913 to Amelia and Paul Wetzel. Though her parents had a profound influence on her life, she lost her mother in a tragic fire at age nine, and her father to tuberculosis and when she was 11. She and her younger brother were cared for by her mother's sister, Beatrice Dodds. Two older brothers lived with her father's brother, Bruno Wetzel. This early history certainly helped shape her "can do" attitude towards life. When her children said, "I can't," she would quickly reply, "Can't never did anything." She knew the importance of education from her father, who was a superintendent of schools. She used $100 given to her by her Aunt Bea and brother Donald to become a teacher. She taught school in SD until she met her future husband, John Neu. They married on June 5, 1942. John was stationed in Long Beach, CA during WWII. To help the war effort, she worked at Douglas Aircraft as a "Rosie the Riveter". Roger, their first child, was born in 1944. They had two daughters, Marilyn and Paula. John was a county agent in Onida, SD and Phyllis was a homemaker until Paula, her youngest, started school. Phyllis began teaching first grade with Paula in her class. In 1955 John's employment took the family to Hillsboro, Oregon. They added a foreign exchange student/son, Hector Squassi in 1962. The relationship continues to this day. She completed her bachelor's degree at Western Oregon State University. She taught in Hillsboro until 1967 when they moved to Washington, settling Vancouver. She often quoted famous people. Even on her last day she quoted a passage from Shakespeare at dinner. A favorite quote to family was, "If a task is once begun, never leave it till it's done. Be thy labor great or small, do it well or not at all." During their retirement years they traveled abroad and spent winters in Indio, CA. John did freelance appraising and Phyllis volunteered at YWCA, Red Cross, election board and Quilters at Memorial Lutheran Church. Survivors include son Roger and wife Joyce Neu; two daughters, Marilyn Melton and husband Sam, and Paula Fowles and husband Tom; six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. In the last months of her life she was lovingly cared for by Charlotte Fili and Ana Kalamafoni. A Memorial Service will be held on Sat., Oct. 8, 2005, at 11 AM at Memorial Lutheran Church, 2700 E. 28th St.,Vancouver. Interment will be at Evergreen Memorial Gardens Cemetery.