Phyllis Sullivan

Alvord, IA: Phyllis Sullivan, 81, of Alvord, IA died Thursday, March 27, 2014 at the Lyon Manor Nursing and Rehab Center, Rock Rapids, IA. A funeral service will be at 10:30 am Monday, March 31, 2014 at the St. Mary's Catholic Church at Rock Valley with Fr. Doug Klein officiating. Burial will follow the lunch at the St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery in Alvord, Iowa. Visitation with the family will be 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. Sunday, March 30, 2014 with a prayer service at 3:30 p.m. all at Porter Funeral Home in Rock Valley. Condolences for the family may be left online at www.porterfuneralhomes.com.

Phyllis Noreen Frembgen was born on January 21, 1933 in Rock Valley, daughter of John and Mary (McGuire) Frembgen. She was the third of seven children. She attended school and graduated from Rock Valley Community High School in 1950. She worked in her mother's dress shop after graduation. Phyllis married Robert Sullivan on April 22, 1952 at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Rock Valley. She continued to work for her mother and live in Rock Valley while her husband served in the US Army. In May of 1954 they moved to a farm near Alvord, Iowa where they raised their family.

In 1973 Phyllis began employment at Valley Manor Nursing Home as a nurse's aide until going into nurses training and upon graduation remained employed at Valley Manor until her retirement in 2005. She and Bob did extensive traveling, visiting all 50 states; most of the Canadian provinces; England, Ireland, Mexico, and several Caribbean Islands. She was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary, Sacred Heart Catholic parish and later St. Mary's parish, Catholic Daughters of America, and the former Alvord Woman's Club. Phyllis was an avid card player, participating in multiple card clubs.

Phyllis is survived by her husband, Bob of Alvord; 3 children, Tom (Kimberley) Sullivan of Sioux Falls, SD, James (Ann) Sullivan of White Bear Lake, MN, and Susan (David) Berg of Vermillion, SD; 8 grandchildren; 1 great-grandchild; and sister, Mary (Marvin) Roemen of Rock Rapids, IA.

She was preceded in death by her parents; children, John Robert Sullivan and Laura Jean Berg; brothers, David, Vernon, Roger, and Jack Frembgen; and sister, Martha McCarty.