Phyllis Murphy Rhodes

Phyllis Ann Edwards was born June 2, 1939 in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma to Dudley Riley Edwards and Florence Opal Cundiff Edwards. Phyllis attended Berryhill School where she graduated in 1957. Phyllis worked for Aetna Finance Co., Standard Insurance Company, Baxter Auto Supply, Home Interiors’ by Phyllis. Phyllis married David Lyle Murphy in 1969. David Died in April 2004. She was a caretaker for her mother-in-law for 5 years. Margaret Murphy had Alzheimer’s. She then married Howard Lee Rhodes on December 7, 2013. Howard had proposed to her in front of the entire congregation at Heritage Church. Phyllis enjoyed genealogy; she was a descendant of King Henry VIII. She was always teasing that her veins were blue so Howard should bow down to her, (He never did). Another hobby she enjoyed was writing. She began writing her life story with pictures, as of her death she never finished her stories. As she said she was still living her life and her story wouldn’t be finished until the end. Phyllis also was able to see things visual. She could look at something an determine if it would fit, how it would look, how colors came together, thus this helped in her decorating business. She was asked later after retirement to help others. They would ask how much she would charge, but she would answer “I don’t work anymore. God gave me the talent, so it is free” Phyllis loved to scrapbook her vacations. Phyllis liked going anywhere. As David had worked for TWA, they traveled to many places, but she said they never drove anywhere. When Howard and Phyllis were married, she got to see more of the United States. Asked one time where was her favorite place to see. “I would have to say God made so many wonderful places it is more beautiful than any man-made places. When I saw Mt. McKinney, it was crystal clear. The Teton mountains took my breath away at it’s beauty. Yellowstone Falls looked like a postcard. North Carolina the blue mountains, the Swiss Alps, Holland, England, Germany, what more can I say. Phyllis had three children, David Darren Murphy, Kimberly Murphy, and Kathy Melton. She had nine grandchildren and five great—grandchildren. Howard had three children, six grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by: Her parents, her first husband, David Murphy and her sister, Carla Sue Baylor. Donations can be made to: Heritage Church Endowment 5300 East Kenosha Street Broken Arrow, OK 74014

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Phyllis Murphy Rhodes

June 2, 1939 - August 10, 2024