WETZEL, Phyllis Marie

Phyllis Marie Wetzel, 76, of Grand Island died Thursday, May 4, 2006, at Bryan LGH East Medical Center in Lincoln. Services will be at 10:30 A.M. Monday at Trinity Lutheran Church in Grand Island preceded by a family prayer service at 10:15 A.M. in the church chapel. The Rev. Royce Rinehart will officiate. Burial will be in the Grand Island City Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 P.M. Sunday at Livingston-Sondermann Funeral Home. Phyllis was born January 21, 1930, at Missouri Valley, Iowa to Virgil and Vera (Neufind) Storrs. Survivors of the immediate family include her husband, Howard Wetzel of Grand Island; her daughter, Annette Wetzel of Lincoln; her son and daughter-in-law, Terry and Patti Wetzel of Overland Park, KS; and her sister and brother-in-law, Shirley and Robert Hehnke of Ridgedale, MO. Additional survivors include her grandchildren, Jenna and Ryan Wetzel. Phyllis grew up in Grand Island after moving there with her family at a very young age. She attended Grand Island Public Schools graduating from Grand Island Senior High in 1947. She worked for a few years as a telephone operator for Northwestern Bell until her marriage. Phyllis married Howard Wetzel on December 24, 1956, at Trinity Lutheran Church. The couple lived their entire married life in Grand Island. Phyllis enjoyed many creative and civic interests including the Grand Island Sketch Club and Trinity Lutheran Church. She was a gifted artist winning local and regional awards as well as a painting commission in Washington, D.C. She was an avid doll maker and collector. Phyllis was a beloved wife, mother and friend. Her family was a source of great joy. She was always supportive of her children and grandchildren’s many activities including years of competitive swimming, leadership of Cub Scouts, Brownies and educational pursuits. She loved music, travel and was a wonderful companion and devoted friend. She was preceded in death by her parents.