Phyllis Lorraine Haberstroh

(May 14, 1929 - Nov 27, 2012)
Phyllis Haberstroh, dearest mother, sister, grandmother, and friend, departed quietly and unexpectedly in the early morning hours of November 27. Remaining civically and socially engaged until her last days, the ripples of her love and life's work will continue on.
Born as Phyllis Weese in Toronto Ontario, she proudly maintained her Canadian citizenship throughout her fifty-five years of U.S. residency. She graduated with her BA and BSW from the University of Toronto in 1954 and earned her Masters from Simmons College School of Social Work in Boston, MA in 1960. She met her lifelong love, Chadwick Haberstroh, in Boston while he was teaching at MIT. They married in January of 1959 and left soon afterward for Ecuador, where Chad had been offered a faculty position. After working in Denver, Cleveland, and Barcelona, they rooted in Milwaukee, Wisconsin for 30 years. Their first child, John, was born in Barcelona, Spain in 1966 and their second, Sarah, in Milwaukee two years later. Phyllis and Chad moved to Bellingham, Washington in 1997, shortly after their retirements and the birth of their first grandchild.
Phyllis had many professional accomplishments. She practiced clinical psychotherapy and social work for over 30 years, culminating in her appointment as the President of the Wisconsin Society for Clinical Social Work. Phyllis delighted in her family, cooking, classical music, theater, politics, reading, cats, nature, and social occasions. She was an exceptional and devoted mom. She worked tirelessly for the principles she believed in, peace and justice for all people. In Bellingham, she was an active member of the League of Women Voters, the Music Club, two book clubs, and the Bellingham Unitarian Fellowship. Phyllis, treasured by many, will be remembered for her lovely presence and radiant smile. Phyllis is preceded in death by her husband, Chad; and survived by her brother, Gordon Weese; her children John and Sarah; their spouses, Lisa Haberstroh and Erik Pearson; and her grandchildren, Eva and Owen Haberstroh, and Molly and Luke Pearson.
A celebration of her life will be held at the Bellingham Unitarian Fellowship on Sunday, December 16 at 2 PM with a reception to follow in the Social Hall. If you wish to share a gift, please make a donation to Amnesty International, Greenpeace, PBS, the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, Bellingham Unitarian Fellowship, or a charity of your choice. Please share memories and stories online at
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