Phyllis Wainwright

Phyllis B. Wainwright Dec. 23, 1916 - Feb. 11, 2011 Phyllis Butcher Wainwright grew up in Martinez, the daughter of Phillip Butcher and Janet Rankin Butcher. Her maternal grandmother and grandfather were Sara and James Rankin who moved to Martinez from the Black Diamond Mines in 1884. Phyllis attended Martinez schools, graduating from Alhambra Union High School, Class of 1934. She attended the University of California and was a member of the Alpha Xi Delta sorority, graduating in 1938. She met Harvey Wainwright of Mill Valley, also a Cal student, and in 1939, she and Harvey were married. The Martinez family heritage was always important to Phyllis. After living in Long Beach and Texas during the war years, Phyllis and Harvey came home to live the rest of their lives in Martinez, where they raised four children. Harvey passed away in 1987. Phyllis's involvement in her children's lives led her to become active in the Sunday school program at Grace Church, Cub Scouts, Camp Fire Girls, and American Field Service (AFS). Phyllis was a volunteer for the Children's Hospital in Oakland for many years, and was a charter member of the Martinez Chapter of the American Association of University Women. Phyllis was also devoted to education. In 1954, she became the first woman elected to the School Boards of both the Martinez Elementary School District and the Alhambra Union High School District. Her interest in education reflected the influence of her father, Phillip Butcher, who served on the Board of Trustees of Alhambra Union High School, 1929 - 1943, and her grandmother Sara Rankin, who was President of the Martinez High School Association when the first high school in Martinez was organized in 1898. Phyllis served as the first woman president of the Contra Costa School Boards Association. In 1958, she was appointed by State Senator George Miller and State Assemblyman Donald Doyle to the California Legislature's Citizens' Advisory Commission on the California Public Education System, chairing the 27-member Commission's sub-committee on Standards. She taught at the Palmer School in Walnut Creek while simultaneously pursuing her teaching credential at the College of Holy Names in Oakland and, upon receiving her credential, taught in the Orinda School District for 17 years. Another passion of Phyllis was the Alhambra Cemetery. In the early 1970s, she and others in town mobilized strong public support for regular cemetery cleanups. Their efforts, with the dedicated support of the local chapter of E Clampus Vitus and City staff, later led to the creation of the City of Martinez Cemetery Commission. Phyllis received the state Conference of California Historical Societies' preservation award for restoring the Alhambra Cemetery in Martinez. Through her involvement with the Martinez Historical Society, Phyllis participated in developing a wider appreciation for the town's historic heritage. Phyllis served on the City of Martinez Parks and Recreation Commission and, from 1980 to 2009, as Chair of the Cemetery Commission. Members of Phyllis's family celebrating her life include her children Bill, Judy, Janet, and Nancy Wainwright, her grandchildren Susan Kadereit, Elizabeth, Will, and Henry Wainwright, Scott Mitchell, Sara Wainwright-Jahn, Morgan and Nick Jessee, sons-in-law Jim Mitchell and Jeff Jessee, and nieces and nephews from the Chapot, Rehfuss, and Holcomb families. Phyllis's life will be celebrated at Grace Episcopal Church in Martinez February 27 at 1:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Phyllis Butcher Wainwright may be made to City of Martinez Historic Alhambra Cemetery, 525 Henrietta Street, Martinez, CA 94553 or to the charity of your choice. Arrangements are being handled by Connolly & Taylor of Martinez.