Phyllis Hanson

Phyllis Ann Hanson passed away on July 4th, 2025. In life, Phyllis went by many names: Mom, Grandma, Auntie Phyllis, and sometimes PhyllisAnn (which was always pronounced like one long name). No matter what you called her, if you knew Phyllis, you could call her a true friend.
Phyllis was born on July 8th, 1942 to Beverly Jean Patterson and Ralph Roy Christensen. Phyllis had one older brother, Ralph, and two younger sisters, Linda and Julie, whom she loved and protected fiercely all her life. She took great joy in spending time with her siblings, and she loved each of their children and grandchildren like they were her own.
In July 1962, Phyllis met Richard Hanson at Grogan's, where Richard was performing with his band. Richard came down from the stage and introduced himself, and the rest is history. They married on February 21st, 1963 and had three children, Guy, Carrie, and Chris. Her kids remember her dancing to Elvis, teaching them to draw and make crafts from paper mâché, helping them learn how to bake and sew, and encouraging them to explore all their many talents and interests. They recall – as anyone who ever met Phyllis immediately noticed – how stylish she was, and Phyllis used her incredible sense of style to make her children matching outfits on her sewing machine. More than anything, her children agree that their mom was always supportive, kind, and attentive, especially when life got tough. She was even known to take her kids out of school to have lunch or spend the day with her if they were having a particularly hard time. Phyllis was incredibly proud of each of her children, and one of her favorite pastimes was bragging about her kids (and later, her grandkids) to her friends and family members.
Phyllis was not just a wonderful mom and mother-in-law, she was the most incredible grandma that anyone could ever hope for. She had an infectious laugh, a sassy sense of humor, and she was always easy to spend time with. She truly cared about making every experience special, even if "special" meant buying fake beards and leprechaun hats for everyone to wear for a casual St. Patrick's day lunch. She was very creative and loved beautiful things, and she brought that out in her grandkids. There was nothing she loved more than seeing the art they made, reading the poems and stories they wrote, and watching them perform, play sports, and accomplish their goals in life. If there was ever an activity that Phyllis could be a part of, she'd be there front and center with a bouquet of flowers or an invitation to go to Leatherby's for ice cream afterwards. As her grandkids grew up, she welcomed their friends and romantic partners into her family with open arms, always insisting that they call her "grandma," even if there was absolutely no blood relation.
Phyllis' kindness and generosity extended beyond her family to everyone she met. She once threw a party for her friends where she baked each of them their favorite cake – nearly 10 cakes in total. She loved to find the perfect gift and was known for giving beautiful jewelry that matched each person's style perfectly. She even bought a bike for a young man who worked with her at the Matheson Courthouse because she noticed that he needed a reliable way to get to work. Phyllis genuinely accepted and embraced people regardless of their background, and she was an ally to anyone who needed one.
The impact that Phyllis had on countless lives is immeasurable. She is, was, and will forever be missed. She was a beautiful, uniquely compassionate and selfless human being, and she truly made the world a better place just by existing in it.
A celebration of Phyllis' life will be held on Thursday, July 10th, 2025 from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM in the Sun Room at Copper Creek Assisted Living, 10569 River Heights Dr, South Jordan, UT 84095. In lieu of flowers, live your life as Phyllis did, by appreciating the beauty in the world and adding beauty to the world in turn.
Click this link to view additional details about Phyllis's Services, including any available live streams: https://my.gather.app/remember/phyllis-hanson