Phyllis Elizabeth Darrow

Phyllis Elizabeth Darrow, 94, a beacon of faith and love, passed away peacefully on October 14, 2025, in "Gigi's Lounge" surrounded by her loved ones. She was born on January 2, 1931, in Cobleskill, New York, to the late Irving and Laura (Kilmer Rickard) Getter.
Phyllis' love story with Harry Leonard Darrow began at a church youth group roller skating event. Shortly after her high school graduation, they were married on July 29, 1950. Though Harry preceded her in death in 2008, their legacy continues to flourish through their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
Phyllis worked for General Electric, but her most cherished role was being a mother, a calling she embraced in 1955 with the birth of her first child. The Darrow home in Glenville became a sanctuary for childhood memories and holiday gatherings.
A woman of deep Christian faith, Phyllis was an active and life-long member of the East Glenville Community Church. She was one of the church's beloved preschool teachers for over 25 years, she also taught Sunday School and participated in Flannel Graph. Her gentle spirit and boundless affection for children were admired; "she never met a child she did not love," and she was considered a second mother and grandmother to so many.
Her family was the center of her world. Together, they enjoyed yearly vacations to the tranquil settings of Lake Pleasant and Lake George, where Phyllis spent delightful times with her sister and her family, and then for the decades following the early 1970s to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina with her own growing family including grandchildren. She was an avid reader and skilled knitter; she donated countless sweaters, caps, mittens and booties to charitable organizations, and she created Christmas stockings for each family member, a cherished tradition now being carried on in the family. Phyllis's life was marked by countless friendships, including a life-long friendship with her best friend, Beverly Roecker.
She is predeceased by her beloved niece Deborah Getter, her parents, Irving and Laura Getter, her sister and her husband, Bernice (Paul) Roberts, her brother and his wife Gerald (Millie) Getter, her husband, Harry and her beloved grandson, Jason Jeffrey Cernik.
She leaves behind a legacy of love and faith through her children, Denise (Keith) Smith, David (Robin) Linden-Darrow, and Darlene (Jeffrey) Cernik; her treasured grandchildren, Jeremy (Tara) Smith, Talitha Linden-Darrow, Jennifer (Joshua) Dingman, Hannah (Charles) Casey, Karly (Seth) Ringel, and Laura Cernik and her many nieces and nephews. She was blessed to have her great-grandchildren be a part of her life; Rylee and Maggie Smith, Harper and Henry Dingman, Dean, Bram and Nell Casey, and Madigan and Kinsley Ringel. Phyllis Elizabeth Darrow was a great listener, and will be remembered as the embodiment of a patient, faith-filled, and kind soul-a matriarch whose influence and affection knew no bounds.
Family and friends are welcome to East Glenville Community Church on Saturday, December 6th, at 1-3 PM for a Celebration of Life Service, followed by a reception at the church.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to East Glenville Community Church, 335 Saratoga Rd, East Glenville, NY 12302, or Schenectady City Mission, PO Box 760, Schenectady, NY 12301.