Phyllis Lewallen

Phyllis was lifted up on wings of angels on August 11, 2018 after a valiant battle with ovarian cancer. Our mom was born on Oct. 17, 1928 in Huron, South Dakota to Harold Eugene Cranston and Helen Swoboda Cranston. Wife, mother, daughter, sister, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt, cousin, friend – whatever the role, she was loved by everyone.

Mom attended high school in Huron, South Dakota, graduating in 1946. She graduated from Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1949 and became a registered nurse. She met the love of her life, Robert D. Lewallen, while in childhood Sunday School where Bob remembered her as the girl in the red coat. Bob & Phyllis were married on Dec. 18, 1949 in Huron, South Dakota. They moved to Bozeman where Bob completed his Master's Degree in Chemical Engineering in 1951 while mom worked as a nurse at Bozeman Deaconess Hospital. They moved to Billings in 1951 as a new hire for Carter Oil shortly after Carol was born, followed by Richard and Jean. Mom was an excellent housewife and cook, preparing wonderful meals for family and friends. She had the gift of hospitality and enjoyed wonderful times around her dining room table. Mom was a gifted seamstress, artist and also made prize winning chokecherry wine and gourmet wild game dinners. Camping and backpacking were frequent activities as the family grew.

Mom returned to work when her children were older as Director of Volunteers for nine years at Billings Deaconess Hospital. She was a Girl Scout and Cub Scout leader and a nurse at Girl Scout and church camp for many years. She was involved in Eastern Star and was Worthy Matron. Bob & Phyllis spent winter weekends ski patrolling at Red Lodge Mountain. Mom was a long-time member of First Baptist Church Billings and, more recently, Heights Baptist Church. She was very involved in both churches' mission programs, Bible Studies and women's groups. She was also the Waterskipper's Pond Club's treasurer until she was 88 years old. Bob and Phyllis traveled to Alaska in 1979 and later spent 15+ summers there fly fishing for salmon and visiting their daughters. They lived for short periods of time in Salt Lake City, Los Angeles, Quebec City, and San Juan, Puerto Rico where Bob did oil refining consulting work after retiring from Exxon. Mom was a world traveler spending time in Europe, India, Burma, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, and Thailand on multiple trips for pleasure and for church. She enjoyed a special trip to Israel for a tour of the Holy Lands with her husband, son and daughter-in-law in 2009.

Mom is survived by her husband of 68 years, Robert Lewallen, sister Connie Cranston, her children: Carol (Matt) Matthews, Richard (Patti) Lewallen and Jean (Steve) Krause; her grandchildren: Eric (Christina) Talley, Christina (Dan) Stick, Carrie (Paul Lachapelle) Krause, Bobbi (Lou) McIntosh and David (Rebekah) Lewallen; her great-grandchildren: Elora, Ella, Xavier and Morrigan Talley; Caleb, Madeline and Elijah Stick; Augusta, Isabelle and Olivia McIntosh. She was predeceased by her sister Francis Tuber. She also leaves behind numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and special friends.

The family would like to thank Dr. Bottsford-Miller at the Billings Clinic, his staff and mom's favorite Internist Neal Sorenson, for giving us an extra 21 months with our mom to help reach her goal of attending the 2017 family reunion and David's May 2018 wedding. Special thanks to the staff of Riverstone Hospice Care for the excellent care Mom received during her illness.

We were all blessed to be a part of her life.

A celebration of life service will be held at Heights Baptist Church, 810 Garnet Ave., Billings, Montana on Wednesday, August 15, 2018 at 10 a.m. A reception will follow.

Memorials can be sent to Gideon Bibles in care of Heights Baptist Church.

Condolences may be shared with the family by visiting smithfuneralchapels.com.