Phyllis Ann Wicklund,

Phyllis Ann Wicklund, beloved mother, daughter and sister, "joined her creator" and loved ones gone before her, Monday, Oct. 11, 2004, at home in Kalispell of natural causes.

Phyllis was born to Ellis and Maribelle (Briggs) Wicklund on Jan. 20, 1940, in Salt Lake City, Utah. She moved to Kalispell with her family when she was 7 years old and remained here through her graduation from Flathead County High School.

She loved teaching and began her career as the very first kindergarten teacher at Trinity Lutheran School in the early 1960s. Later she earned her masters degree in developmental psychology and then returned to Kalispell in the early 1980s to teach special education at Peterson Elementary and Flathead High School. Phyllis was a devoted teacher, retiring in the mid 1990s.

She was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church; her beliefs were comforting to her. Phyllis' friendships were long lasting and of great importance. She will be remembered for her tremendous faith, delightful sense of humor and remarkable intelligence.

Phyllis was preceded in death by her father, Ellis Wicklund; her stepfather, Thomas E. Brist; and her brother Harvey Wicklund.

She is survived by her son, William Goetter of Kalispell; her mother, Maribelle Brist of Kalispell; her brother, Roger Wicklund of Tacoma, Wash.; her sisters, Joan Morse of Whitefish, Ellen Wicklund of Ronan, and Jeannette Wicklund of Seattle; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Memorial services will be 2 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 15, at Trinity Lutheran Church. Urn burial will be at Trinity Lutheran Cemetery.

The family suggests that any memorial contributions be made to the Arthritis Foundation-Montana Branch, 1643 Lewis Ave., Ste. 3, Billings, MT 59102-4151.

Arrangements are under the direction of Johnson Mortuary and Crematory.