Phyllis Carol Schornagel, 93, of New Richmond died in March while visiting with family in Illinois.
Phyllis lived fully and well. She was a person of indomitable will and strength, the pillar of our family, with unflagging energy matched by her infectious joy of living, sense of humor, and generosity. She was always ready take new challenges, ready to help friends and family through the tough times, to laugh and make us laugh.
Her energy and perseverance inspired us, her children, grandchildren, cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends, to follow our dreams and to make the world a better place. Her family and friends meant the world to her and she meant the world to us.
Phyllis believed in the values of education, hard work and continuous self-improvement. A life-long learner, she attended Hope College, earned a bachelor’s degree at North Park College, attended Chicago’s Kent Law School, and took community college courses in computer science, metallurgy, and solar engineering.
She earned her master’s in Business Administration at Grand Valley State University at age 73 and worked as a CPA well into her 80s. At every phase of her career, Phyllis was a pioneer, breaking employment gender barriers and championing women’s rights in every job she held.
In both work and play, Phyllis was an adventurer. She loved road trips in her brightly colored sports car, sailing on Lake Michigan on her 12-foot sailboat, riding her Honda 50, and even tried sky-diving.
Phyllis will be interred at the New Richmond Cemetery on Saturday, April 28, at 1 p.m., followed by a celebration of her life at her home with family, friends, and neighbors in the afternoon.
In the meantime, we thank all of you for the love and friendship you gave her, and the laughter you brought to her life.
Phyllis was an avid reader all her life. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to the Fennville District Library in her name would be greatly appreciated.
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