Phyllis Ann Trippel

Phyllis Ann Trippel, age 85, passed away peacefully with her family by her side on Tuesday, April 22, 2025.

She was born on May 20, 1939, in Bremen, Indiana, to the late Ralph J. and Emma L. (Simshauser) Frick. A valedictorian of Madison Township High School, Phyllis married Paul E. Trippel on September 21, 1961, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Lakeville. They shared over 52 years of marriage before Paul’s passing on January 21, 2014.

Phyllis is survived by her sons: Chuck (Julie) Trippel, David (Shawn) Trippel, Andrew (Arvan Williams) Trippel, and Greg (Kim) Trippel; her grandchildren: Matthew (Kiersten) Trippel, Kevin Trippel, Kara (Kenny) DeGiglio, and Lance Trippel; and two great-grandsons she was eagerly anticipating meeting this summer. She is also survived by her siblings, Esther Frick and Louis (Carolyn) Frick. Phyllis was preceded in death by her son Carl, who passed away on April 25, 2011.

In lieu of flowers, we’d be grateful if you’d consider donating to Hello Gorgeous! (hellogorgeous.org), a local nonprofit providing restorative beauty services to persons with cancer, supporting educational and honoring programs provided by Caring Cove Hospice (caringcovehospice.com), who took wonderful care of Phyllis, showing kindness and compassion throughout the time they cared for her, or your preferred charity in Phyllis's honor.

Family, friends, faith, and service to others defined Phyllis’s life. She and Paul centered family life around the home they built together south of Mishawaka. There, she was an avid gardener, raising food for her family and others, and tending to her flowers. Although she had her “chores” to do, she always found time for playing board and card games with family and friends, reading, completing jigsaw puzzles in the winter, and enjoying sports throughout the year. She was a lifelong fan of the Chicago White Sox!

Phyllis married Paul and joined St. Joseph Catholic Church in Mishawaka. Throughout her years with the Church, she volunteered in the Sunday nursery, participated in various committees, including the St. Vincent de Paul Society, and, as a vocalist in the music program, shared her love of music with fellow parishioners for several years in the 1970s. Phyllis’s faith guided and comforted her throughout her life.

Many benefited from Phyllis’s embrace of volunteerism and service to others. Most importantly, she and Paul were foster parents for much of their lives together, and she rocked babies with Memorial Hospital’s River City Rockers. She donated blood or platelets throughout her life, and she was an enthusiastic supporter and volunteer of Chiara Home, which provided care and support for her son and sister. In her later years, she enjoyed helping friends, traveling, and spending time with loved ones.

Visitation will be held at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Mishawaka on Thursday, May 1, 2025, beginning at 9:00 a.m., one hour before the 10:00 a.m. Mass of Christian Burial. Following the service, Phyllis will be laid to rest between her husband and son Carl at Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens in Osceola. If you are unable to attend funeral services in person, we invite you to honor and remember Phyllis with us by viewing a live stream of the funeral service in the window below.

The family thanks and honors the many wonderful people who shared life with Phyllis over the years – you meant so much to her! We are grateful to her healthcare team members, including Mishawaka Hematology-Oncology, Caring Junction, Caring Cove Hospice, and her home care assistants, who supported Phyllis as she gracefully embraced her cancer journey with courage and dignity.

To light a virtual candle, share a memory, or leave a message of comfort for the family, please visit the Guestbook tab above.

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