Mrs. Phyllis J Sturm

Phyllis J. Sturm, age 92, wife of the late, Roland "Tub" Sturm, of Indianapolis, passed away on Monday, July 17, 2023, at Worthington Place in Camby, Indiana.
Phyllis was born in Indianapolis on August 17, 1930, to Arnold W. Anderson and Evelyn Agnew Anderson who both worked for the L. Strauss Company. They resided on the southside of Indianapolis and were members of the Pleasant Run Boulevard Evangelical & Reformed Church. Phyllis attended Manual High School graduating in 1948.
Following graduation, she was working for the Wm. H. Block company when she met the love of her life, "Tub", on a blind date, New Year's Eve 1947. They were married June 19, 1949.
While Tub started a career in the heat treat industry, Phyllis was busy raising the family, Sharon, Mike, Rob, Kris and Glenn. She was the first up each day to fix breakfast and pack a lunch for Tub before he was out the door at 6:30. Then, during the school season, there were five kids to get dressed, fed and off to school.
Summers were a bit more relaxed with the kids sleeping in (a little bit), during which time Phyllis would take advantage of the morning cool to work in the garden and flower beds. Days were spent cleaning, doing laundry and preparing the family dinner for when Tub arrived home from work. She enjoyed her cooking and baking. She also enjoyed singing in church choirs and along with Rogers & Hammerstein musicals as she worked at home. Summer concluded with the annual two-week vacation with camping trips to all regions of the country. First in a huge orange tent, then a small pop-up trailer. These were "work" vacations as Phyllis prepared meals out of the Sturm chuck box, cooked on the Coleman stove and dishes to be done. Phyllis was famous for her Sturm goulash, which was rice and tomato soup based then anything she had as leftovers from previous meals. They always tasted good but could never be duplicated.
Church was always very important to Tub and Phyllis, so Sundays were dedicated to the Lord and family. Following Sunday School and Church, many Sunday afternoons were spent on family drives into the country. The drives usually ended at some creek bed where the kids played while Phyllis prepared lunch on the tailgate of the family station wagon.
Once empty nesters, Tub and Phyllis put all they had into starting their own business, Sturm Steel Treating (SST). While Tub was doing the heat treating, Phyllis managed the office doing the billing, bookkeeping and accounting. They spent a decade of their lives dedicated to making SST a success. Sadly, it also brought sorrow with the loss of their youngest son Glenn in an accident while working the night shift at SST.
After years of sacrifice in building SST and son Rob taking over the business, they began to enjoy traveling again. Only now it was in a small RV. They traveled to every corner of the country from Key West to California, Alaska and Nova Scotia. But they also traveled many of the backroads in Indiana. They enjoyed finding small town restaurants and bed & breakfasts' all over the state. Friends and family always wanted to know the latest special find.
With the loss of Tub in 2008, Phyllis focused her time with church friends, neighbors and family. She continued to host the annual Christmas morning cookie breakfast until she moved into assisted living.
Survivors include her children; Sharon Riddle (Wendell), Michael Sturm (Adonness), Robin Sturm (Paige), and Kris Schaefer (John), grandchildren (8): Josh (Sara) Sturm, Luke (Breann) Sturm, Nichelle Sturm, Jeremy Sturm (deceased) / Letitia (former spouse), Ryan Sturm, Johnny Schaefer, Rachel (Dan) Williams, Abby Schaefer. great grandchildren (10): Scarlett Sturm, Josephine Sturm, Braylee Kough, Eliza Grandstaff, Cooper Sturm, Mychael Sturm, Kayla (Victor) Renteria, Peyton Sturm, Carson Williams, Emily Williams, great great grandchildren (3): Jayce Sturm, Declan Renteria, Addalyn Renteria.
Phyllis was preceded in death by her parents, her husband and youngest son, Glenn Sturm.
Funeral services for Phyllis will be held on Friday, July 21, 2023, at 3:00PM at Singleton and St. Pierre Funeral and Cremation Services, Indianapolis. The family will receive guests at the funeral home from 1:30PM until the time of service. A private burial will be held at a later date.
Memorial contributions can be made in memory of Phyllis J. Sturm to Indiana Parkinson Foundation, 14350 Mundy Dr., Suite 181, Noblesville, IN 46060 or www.indianaparkinson.org.
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