Phyllis Joy Coleman went to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on Thursday, August 28, 2008, after a courageous battle with cancer. She was born on February 27, 1931, to Harvey and Elizabeth Williamson in Middlesboro, Kentucky. Her childhood years were spent in Middlesboro, Forsan, Texas, and Prior, Oklahoma, before moving to Richland in 1946, where her Dad worked on the Manhattan Project at Hanford. She attended Columbia High School now Richland High, until her senior year when she returned to Middlesboro to graduate with her childhood friends. Phyllis met the love of her life, James, at Richland Assembly of God Church in 1954. After some prodding from two of James' aunts about meeting this beautiful young woman in their church, he finally got up the courage to speak to her. They were married two years later in May, 1956, at the same church and had been married for 52 years at the time of her death. Her greatest desire in life was to become a wife and mother, and God gave her the desires of her heart with two daughters, Karen and Becky. She was a devoted, loving mother and wife, and her greatest joy was raising her girls and spending time with her husband and family. Many happy memories were made during annual trips to the Oregon Coast, one of her family's favorite places.
She was later blessed with six grandchildren, who were the delight of her life. She was affectionately given the name "Grandma Tiffy" by the grandkids when they were little. They have fond memories of watching Gospel Bill while eating red grapes and yellow cheese at Grandma's house. No matter what the grandkids' requests were, Grandma always made sure they were fulfilled if it was in her power to do so. Phyllis was an active member of Richland Assembly Church, and taught the preschool Sunday School class for many years. She also assisted her husband, who was church treasurer for 29 years.
Phyllis never knew a stranger and was a friend to all. She always looked for and found the best in everyone. She was the first to offer help where it was needed and believed it was better to give than to receive. Because of her compassionate, giving nature, she influenced many lives outside the circle of her family.
She was known to everyone as a woman of tremendous faith. She faced every situation in life with the confidence that God was in control, and reminded her family often that his plan was perfect. When faced with a diagnosis of terminal cancer, she smiled and said, "It's all okay; I'm in God's hands". She was the one to encourage us as we walked through the struggles of cancer with her, with the full assurance that, no matter what the outcome, she was a winner either way. She truly understood the meaning of being eternal and looked forward to being with Jesus. Phyllis is survived by her husband, James; her daughters and their husbands, Karen and Ed Phillips, and Becky and Tom Hall; and six grandchildren, Sally Tomasino and her husband Dane, Jesse and Aaron Phillips, Christina Yates and her husband Joshua, and Sarah and Julia Hall; and her brother, John Williamson. Although she is gone from us for a time and we will miss her so much, we all look forward to a happy reunion with her someday.
A celebration of Phyllis's life will be held on Thursday, September 4th at 4:00pm at Richland Assembly of God Church, 1110 Stevens Drive. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Phyllis's name to Ron Galbreath, missionary to Japan. A fund has been established through Richland Assembly of God Church to receive donations.