Phyllis Ann Trefonides

Phyllis Ann (Korejwa) Trefonides

01/18/1929-12/02/2025

Of Brookline, MA, formerly of Boston, MA, Tacoma, WA, and Dorchester, MA.

After a brief illness and a long life, Phyllis Trefonides, passed away in the comfort of her own bed in her beloved antique home in Brookline. Surrounding her were the people she loved and the beautiful artworks of her late husband, Steven Trefonides. Phyllis and Steve were married for 64 years. They raised four children, Connie (Gary), Alexa (Vincent), Jessica (Paul,) and Adam (Jessica), first in the South End of Boston in the early 60's, then in Brookline "for the schools" in the 70's. Phyllis' first marriage to Connie's father Donald Rinaldo, a social worker, ended sadly with his death at the age of 28, when Connie (who also predeceased her mother) was a baby. Connie was four when Phyllis and Steve married in his art studio in 1959. Lucky Connie, she got to travel with her parents on their honeymoon to India, courtesy of Steve's Fulbright scholarship grant. Later in life, they both glowed when recounting this trip, marveling at the wonders of India, the people they met (Mahatma Gandhi, Ravi Shankar to name two) and of course the art.

Phyllis was born in Dorchester, MA. Her parents Konstantia and John Korejwa, owned a grocery store. They also had two sons, Tofil and Alfred, who were grown and moved out of the two-family house by the time she entered school, making her essentially an only child. However, she was never lonely. Surrounded by a large Polish and Russian extended family, she was adored, and was especially close to her mother. Konstantia was an incredibly strong woman with a kind generous heart. She raised her daughter to be the same. Recently Phyllis described starting nursery school at age 3- and walking there by herself. "I had a big street to cross!" She went on to study at Girls Latin, where she said the nuns were wonderful to her. She learned Latin and could spell any word in the dictionary, in future making her a fierce scrabble opponent. After high school, Phyllis was waiting tables in Boston when she said a friend asked where she would attend college. She hadn't yet thought about going and realized she'd like to. She received a degree in social work from Northeastern University, and accepted her first job at The Boston Home for Little Wanderers. It wasn't until the late 1970's that she decided to get her MSW. With four kids, a dog and two cats at home in Brookline, Phyllis took a bus to Storrs, Connecticut, sleeping over for three nights a week at the YWCA in order to attend classes at U-Conn. She worked as a clinical psychiatric social worker for over 30 years until her retirement from the VA hospital in 2000. She had tried to retire three years earlier but the staff and clients loved her so much they convinced her to stay. Phyllis entered into retirement without looking back. When they could tear themselves away from their beloved grandchildren: Tristan, Greylin, Sorrell, Bianca, Dominic, Freya, and Theo (Miriam came along later), she and Steve travelled all over Europe. They also spent three months in Cassis, France as guests of the Camargo Foundation, where Steve was able to work unfettered, and mingle with other grant recipients: painters, writers, and musicians. Phyllis continued the friendships she made there, saving every card and letter. When they weren't jet-setting they spent long summers in their favorite place on earth, Lubec, Maine. The 1830's house they purchased in 1968 cost all of two thousand dollars, not an easy bargain for them back then.

Phyllis collected antiques like a dealer. She was a knitter, a gardener, and a rug braider. Her creative eye helped in so many ways. She would give Steve constant feedback that nurtured his successful career as a photographer and painter. But Phyllis' greatest gift was her generous spirit. If you liked something she had, it was yours. If you were in need of a boost, that was yours as well. Her friend Kyra Montagu recently noted, "Phyllis (was) a wonderful listener. She really and truly listen(ed)." And she did listen. To her family, her care givers, her friends. She especially liked to listen to Rachel Maddow who seemed to be her best friend at times when she saw the bleakness of our country's situation. "When is Rachel on? I need to hear what's really going on!"

Phyllis was looking forward to her 97th birthday in January when her family and friends would gather and toast her with her favorite cocktail gin and tonic. Please take time to pour your favorite libation and toast a woman who lived a life that jazzed up the very air around her. Her enthusiasm and humor, and her deep caring for humanity pulled the best from everyone she met.

The family would like to thank the people who cared for Phyllis: Timothy Morris, Laura Walsh, Mary Coulter, Jamie Chamberlain, Lily Chamberlain, Ella Willig, Deborah Phillips, Susan Rutkiewicz, and John Gauthier. All of these people loved Phyllis and will miss her along with the rest of us. Phyllis' favorite charities centered on political action and freedom of the press. In lieu of flowers please consider a donation in her name to one of those causes.

Visting hours will be held in the Bell-O'Dea Funeral Home, 376 Washington St., Brookline, on Sunday January 18th 2026 from 2-4 PM. Relatives and friends are kindly invited.