Phyllis J. Diekhuis

Phyllis J. Diekhuis, 85, of Garner died Saturday, June 17, 2017 at Concord Care Center in Garner.

Funeral services will be held 10:30 A.M., Thursday, June 22nd at Zion Evangelical and Reformed Church in Garner with Rev. Brian Lund. Burial will be at Concord Township Cemetery in Garner.

Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 P.M., Wednesday at the Cataldo Funeral Chapel, 160 E. 4th St., in Garner and will resume one hour prior to services at the church.

Phyllis Jean Diekhuis, the daughter of David and Alphia (Bayliss) Pierce, was born December 1, 1931 in Jackson, Minnesota. She attended school at Hanlontown where she graduated from high school in 1949. On March 20, 1950, she was married to Marvin Diekhuis in Litchfield, Minnesota. They lived in several towns in Minnesota and Iowa before moving to Garner in 1966. Phyllis helped Marvin with farming and his construction business building many homes in Garner and the surrounding area. In 2012, she moved to Cardinal Grove Assisted Living and in July of 2015 to Concord Care Center. She enjoyed spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren and great grandchildren. Many 500 card games were played over the years with family and friends. In their younger years, Phyllis and Marvin enjoyed fishing and camping. Later in life they enjoyed traveling and visiting casinos.
She was a member of Zion Evangelical and Reformed Church and Zion Women’s Fellowship.

Phyllis is survived by her three children, Marlene (Dennis) Willey of Cedar Rapids, Craig (Donna) Diekhuis of Boxelder, SD and Jim (Jeanine) Diekhuis of Garner; a daughter-in-law, Sandi Diekhuis of Oak Valley, CA; fourteen grandchildren, Angie Maiers, Michael Riechmann, Michele (Jon) Formanek, Amy (Matt) Kunkle, Matt Willey, Greg Willey, Perry Diekhuis, Joshua (Jennifer) Diekhuis, Noah Diekhuis, Jennifer Diekhuis, Melissa (Chad) Stricklan, Benjamin (Mindi) Diekhuis, Jessica (Sean) Frakes and Jacob Diekhuis; fourteen great-grandchildren; a great-great grandson; her sister, Faye (Chuck) Greiman of Garner; her brother, David (Rose) Pierce of Waterloo; four sisters-in-law, Bonnie Pierce of Mason City, Rita Diekhuis of Mason City, Ramona Hauan of Rockwell and Jeanette Diekhuis of Clear Lake; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Marvin, Aprl 25, 2011; son, Michael in 2007; sisters, Loretta Palmer, Marjorie Christians, Betty Koenen and Rose Dishong; and brothers, Robert, Ted, Frank and Dick Pierce