Phyllis Cornwell

Phyllis Marie Cornwell 3/11/1926 - 01/18/2021 Dear Family and Friends, Phyllis passed away peacefully in her sleep January 18th. She would have been 95 on March 11 this year. Thank you to everyone who has reached out and shared their condolences and shared a favorite memory. I think I speak for a lot of us (especially us women) when I say that she lived an exemplary life. I met Phyllis the summer Pete and I started dating. She was 77 years old. I remember being inspired by her caring heart and humor. I was amazed at her caregiving qualities, not just with her son,Willie, but with her community as well. She was always off to work a church spaghetti supper or to help neighbors run errands. I studied my sweet mother in law like I was going to someday write a screenplay of her life. I enjoyed all of her stories from every decade. Phyllis' first friend in life was Maybelle. Phyllis often spoke of how they were only 6 days apart and in the playpen together. Maybelle and Phyllis would talk almost weekly and when Phyllis couldn't make phone calls anymore, Maybelle would check with Pete to see how her "friend" was doing. Phyllis took her drivers test on Navy Pier at the age of 12. (Sidebar: she also lied to the DMV so Petey could get his drivers license when he was 15) She liked to drive me crazy telling me of all the times she stood in line to see Frank Sinatra at the Chicago Theater. SWOON! As a young single woman, she would take the South Shore Train from Hegewisch (Far Southside) to downtown Chicago to her job at the Continental Bank & Trust Company. She would describe her wardrobe and how she would meet her best friend Deebo for dinner and catch the last train home. You would of thought she was the orginal Carrie from Sex and The City. She spoke lovingly of her days in "The God Damn Glee Club" at the American Legion Post #272. She often talked about how much fun she had singing with the gals ithat included her sister Doris and her long time friends, Deebo, Helen, June, Jeane, Irene, Betty, Carol, and Ruth. After she married Captain Cornwell the fun stories continued with their sailboat adventures on The SunRa. She would tell me Bob's favorite time to sail was when it was snowing ,so he could see which way the wind was blowing; also how she would be Bob's "first mate" slicing tomatos in the galley during high seas and watching fish swim by the portholes. My favorite line of hers was when she told me, "Captain Cornwell can find any Sea Port in the world but he can't find the ketchup in the refrigerator!" She didn't just care about family, friends and community. Phyllis was a LOVER of dogs! We all remember her affection for the smartest dog in the world Bandit, as well as Maggie, Fred, Oprah, Whoopie, Buddy, and Chauncey. Phyllis was an avid reader and was fond of mystery novels. She loved books by Patricia Cornwell. Phyllis talked fondly of working at Arkins bookstore in South Haven. She shared great memories of working with Gretchen and Lynn and going on buying trips to Chicago. Her years at Munson Lake in Grand Junction are full of wonderful memories of four generations of Anderson/Cornwell/Zorich. From she and Bob owning the store, the kids driving around on the machines (snowmobiles), and dinners at the North Lake Inn. We had many, many, many, Monday Jazz nights at The What Not Inn listening to Wally and the band, and eating fish and chips. She said when she was at The What Not her knee didn't hurt so much. Her home was always full of family and friends dropping in for a cocktail and "cheese and cracks" while listening to BB King singing the blues. She even trained a couple of young bartenders how to make a stinger. (Bobby & Wyatt) I always knew when Pete was talking with his mom on the phone. He would only laugh that hard while speaking with her. So raise a glass to our dear Phyllis NOSTROVIA! Cremation arrangements are entrusted to Michigan Cremation & Funeral Care, Grand Rapids, 616-452-3006. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Phyllis Cornwell, please visit our flower store.