Phyllis Joan Kasser

Phyllis Joan Kasser (December 29, 1934 – March 21, 2025) was born in St. Francis, Kansas, the eldest daughter in a family of seven children. Her family later moved to Phoenix, Oregon, where they made a home in a modest two-bedroom house—girls inside, boys in a tent in the backyard.

Phyllis met and married Victor Kasser, embarking on a life of adventure as they traveled the world during his service in the United States Air Force. A testament to her strength and resilience, she once flew to the Philippines alone with four children under the age of five. After Victor’s retirement, they settled in Medford, Oregon, where Phyllis worked as a school bus driver and later dedicated 16 years to volunteering with a search and rescue organization—a cause she was deeply passionate about. She also found joy in simple pleasures, especially long walks that allowed her to appreciate the beauty around her.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Glen and Barbara Miller; her sister, Judy; her brother, Larry; her husband, Victor; and her daughter, Kat Peterson. She is survived by her sister, Frances Kasser; her brothers, Richard Miller, Mick Miller, and Gale Miller; her children, Vickie French, Nancy Skipper (Ron), and Victor Kasser; as well as eleven grandchildren, twenty-four great-grandchildren, and one great-great-granddaughter.

Phyllis’s legacy is one of love, resilience, and service to others. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the National Association for Search and Rescue in her memory.