Obituary of Phyllis Foster

Phyllis Lucille Dennis was born August 8th, 1938 in Leroy Saskatchewan.  Phyllis was the second oldest of five children, born to Marjorie and Henry Dennis. She spent her early years on the farm until the family moved to Dawson Creek in 1950, after Henry found work in the Peace River area of BC.  Phyllis attended school in Dawson Creek. While attending high school, Phyllis met her future husband Edward Kelly.

Phyllis and Ed married and moved to Chetwynd, BC, then known as Little Prairie, in 1956. Phyllis and Edward had their five children while living in Chetwynd. Phyllis started work at the TD bank in Chetwynd in 1969,  where she worked until she changed to the career of bookkeeper at the Chetwynd Hospital where she remained until 1979. Then in 1984, Phyllis started work at the Chetwynd Medical clinic where she worked, until she retired at the age of 67 due to illness.  She decided after she recovered from that, she missed people and work, so she started working part time again as a bookkeeper until she officially retired at 69.

It was in 1979 that Phyllis and Ed decided to go their separate ways and Phyllis moved with her youngest child to Cranbrook BC, where she later remarried.  Phyllis and Ross lived in Cranbrook for five years, and she became the step-mother to five more children as well.  In 1984, they returned to Chetwynd.  Even though they later divorced, Phyllis remained close to many of her step-children and step-grandchildren until her passing.

Phyllis and Ed, having remained  good friends, shared many holidays and celebrations over the years with their children, and grandchildren as a family unit, often including their respective spouses, until Edward’s passing in 2008.  They led by example, showing us all how parents can keep their children and grandchildren’s wellbeing in mind and maintain family as the most important thing, no matter what.

During her years in Chetwynd, Phyllis was an active member of the Royal Purple, and later the Ladies Auxiliary branch of the Chetwynd Legion and the Community church ladies group.  Phyllis participated through numerous roles at many community functions over the years..

Phyllis maintained lifelong friendships with many people  from her earlier days in Chetwynd and continuously made new lasting friendships as well.  She was voted the Best Smile in Chetwynd on five different occasions, her smile was well known to all who knew her and was infectious for sure. .  She was known for her kindness, her giving spirit and her caring manner by all who knew her. 

Phyllis’s greatest joy  was the time she spent with her children, their spouses and her grandchildren. Her family eventually grew to 57 plus grandchildren and great grandchildren. Her love of family also extended to her siblings, along with many nieces, nephews, and numerous cousins.  Phyllis taught us the importance of family through the hosting of many dinners on holidays, and making time for family was always a priority for her.  Whether it was a birthday dinner, a baby shower to welcome a new grandchild or great grandchild, or just an I’m in Dawson, let’s get together, family was important to Phyllis.  She loved watching her grandchildren in their activities, attending football games, musicals, dance  performances, so many hockey games, soccer games and many others.

Phyllis loved her flowers, mainly petunias for her baskets, and a beautiful variety in her flower  gardens in her yard.  She was proud of her yards, and planted gardens in each place she lived. An avid gardener, she took great pleasure in showing her garden beds, and flower beds to company when they came to visit.

She also loved to travel, with trips to Venezuala, South America, Hawaii, Dominica, Florida, Reno,  and in March of this year, she travelled to Cuba with friends.

Phyllis had an inner strength which was not obvious on first glance.  This inner strength helped her beat cancer two times; colon cancer when she was 49, and breast cancer when she was 67. She did not believe in dwelling on negative aspects no matter the cause.  She taught us through her strength and endurance over the years, that her motto “What’s done is done, it’s in the past, we need to move on to the new day, and think positive always” remains something to live up to and achieve.  She stressed to her family in her final weeks, that thinking of negatives was not her way, her wish for us was to remember the good times, thehappy times, and we will strive to do that.

Phyllis passed away on June 9th, 2018 at Dawson Creek hospital, from complications which occurred from a surgery she had that April, with her family at her side, at the age of 79 years.

A funeral service was held at the Chetwynd Fellowship Baptist Church on June 18, 2018 at 1:00 pm. Pastor Bill Evans officiated.  Interment will follow at a later date.

Phyllis was predeceased by her daughter Laurie, her parents, Henry and Marjorie Dennis, her brother Calvin, and her former husband and the father of her children Edward Kelly.

Phyllis will be sadly missed by her family, but always lovingly remembered.  She leaves behind her children; Linda Brummond (Joe Walker) of Fort MacMurray, AB, Joy Kelly-Bratt (Garry) of Dawson Creek, BC, Michael Kelly of Chetwynd, BC and Kate Mauch (Tim) of Dawson Creek, BC.

Her siblings, Bill Dennis (Louise) of Tomslake, BC, Byron Dennis of One Island Lake Rd, BC, Diane Kortmeyer (Jack) of Burnslake, BC, as well as 57 grandchildren and great grandchildren in all. 

Mom, Grandma, Great Grandma, Auntie Phyll, Sister, Cousin, you are forever in our hearts.

Very Respectfully Reynars Funeral Home & Crematorium