Phyllis Elizabeth Schultz

Phyllis Elizabeth Leet Schultz, 84, of Ridgecrest, California, passed away suddenly on January 6th, 2026 after a short illness. She was a cherished mother, grandmother, aunty, and wife, and she will be deeply missed.

Phyllis was born in Fairmont, Minnesota, on August 3, 1941, to Theodore James and Marie (Chase) Leet, as the third of four children. In 1959, she married the love of her life, Jerald, with whom she shared almost 67 years of marriage. In 1976, Phyllis completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree through Mankato State University, specializing in fiber design. She taught spinning and weaving with natural fibers and dyes and even provided demonstrations of Pioneer Crafts in traditional costumes. She also owned and operated a ladies’ clothing shop and worked as a photographer and interior designer, among other interesting occupations where she was able to express her artistic eye.

Through the years, Phyllis engaged in all sorts of creative pursuits such as sewing, painting, sculpting, drawing, knitting, photography and crafts, allowing chaos and laughter with her children and grandchildren. She had a witty and lovely sense of humor and was extraordinarily talented, as she created beautiful, unexpected things. One project she was very proud of was restoring an early 1900’s mansion in Fairmont to its former glory, with painstaking daily work over several years.

All her life, she loved setting beautiful tables and in her later years enjoyed providing tablescapes for Grace Lutheran Church’s Figgy Pudding Concerts in Ridgecrest and showing table settings at the Desert Empire Fair with one of her granddaughters. However, her true gift was painting and sketching. She completed countless oil paintings and watercolors over the last 56 years. Four of her paintings, a Risen-Christ Easter painting can be seen at Grace Lutheran, and a Christmas triptych can be viewed at First Baptist Church of Searles Valley in Trona, CA.

Phyllis was a Past Worthy Matron for the Order of the Eastern Star and a Past Bethel Guardian for the International Order of Job’s Daughters in St. Cloud, MN. She was also a thirty-year member of Daughters of the American Revolution and a dedicated family history researcher, tracing her family back to 1639. She loved gardening, and designed and tended magical flower gardens through the years. Her flourishing rose bushes are still a testament to this passion. Phyllis also loved traveling, starting with visits to her son stationed in Alaska and England and daughter living in Germany and continuing with River and Ocean cruises with her husband throughout Europe. Her final trip, a cruise from Athens to Venice just before her passing, allowed her to share this joy with her husband and children, where she was able to celebrate a beautiful and blessed life.

Phyllis is preceded in death by her parents, her eldest brother James W. Leet and her older sister Virginia (Leet) Rose.

Phyllis is survived by her loving family: Husband, Jerald W. Schultz; her son and three daughters: Jeffrey Scott (and Jodi) Schultz, Jennifer Lynn Schultz, Susannah Jane (and Scott) Hayman, and Jerrianne Duncan (and Uwe) Schmiedel; three granddaughters and four great-granddaughters; 11grandsons and 12 great-grandsons and another on the way; as well as her younger brother Kermit R. Leet.

A celebration of Phyllis's life for family and friends will be held at Holland & Lyons in Ridgecrest CA on Friday, January 16, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. There will also be Visitation on Thursday, January 15th from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. The family invites all to attend and share their favorite memories. An additional memorial service will be held in Fairmont MN in June of 2026.