Phyllis T. Saunders

Saunders AUBURN < Phyllis T. Saunders, 89, of 46 Kearney Ave., Auburn, passed away unexpectedly Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009, at Mercy Rehabilitation Center. She was so looking forward to returning home to Kearney Avenue on Wednesday. A lifelong Auburnian, she was born Oct. 19, 1920, the daughter of Matthew and Julia Noga. She was a former employee of General Electric, Adams Temptation, and was a former licensed real estate broker for a number of years. Phyllis was an active parishioner at St. Francis of Assisi Church and a frequent communicant at St. Francis and Holy Family Church. She met weekly with a prayer group, Prayers Apostulate, and was a member of the Sacred Heart Society. She was involved with Father Shamon"s Pro-Life Prayer Group and Phyllis was also a volunteer at Mercy Health and Rehabilitation Center. Phyllis enjoyed cross-country skiing until age 79 and continued to golf into her 80s with her sister Billie. She enjoyed watching almost any sport, especially golf, college football and basketball. She watched Notre Dame football every Saturday afternoon while saying her rosary to help them to victory. Her husband, Cecil "Pat" Saunders, predeceased her in 1993. Surviving are their children, Kathleen Bivona and her husband, Louis, of Fairport, Marianne Greiner, of Bloomfield, James Saunders and his wife, Lisa, of Suffern and Michael Saunders and his wife, Maria, of Auburn; her sister Billie Yura, of Auburn; her brother-in-law Michael "Maxie" Bishop, of Auburn; two grandsons, Brad Saunders and Brent Bivona; two granddaughters, Vanessa Greiner and Jacqueline Saunders; three great-grandchildren, Jason, Brooke and Ava Bivona; and 18 nieces and nephews. She was also predeceased by a granddaughter, Elizabeth Saunders; brothers, Matthew and Casmir Noga and two sisters, Rose Robbins and Josephine Bishop. A special thank you to her very dear friend Anthony Gallaro; her special friends Theresa Eddy and Jane Adams; to Chris Moran, who provided special care to our mom over the past six months; and to her hairdresser, Julie Varno. Calling hours will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Farrell"s Funeral Service, Inc., 84 South St., Auburn. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday in St. Francis of Assisi Church, with the Rev. Dennis J. Shaw as celebrant. Interment will be in St. Joseph"s Cemetery. Memorials may be made to either the St. Alphonsus Food Pantry, 10 Lewis St., Auburn, or the Center for Missing and Exploited Children, New York Division, 275 Lake Ave., Rochester, NY 14608. To send a message to the family, sign our guest book at www.auburnpub.com and click on obituaries.