Obituary of Phyllis Elliott
PHYLLIS ELLIOTT
(nee SELLICK)
The family invites you to watch the livestream of the Celebration of Phyllis' life on Wednesday, January 10, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. (CST). Please CLICK HERE
Phyllis Evelyn Elliott (nee Sellick), died peacefully in Winnipeg, MB on Sunday, December 17, 2023 at the age of 96. Phyllis (Phyl) was born on April 19, 1927, to Ethel and Alfred Sellick. Phyl grew up in a loving home with her older sister Bette (Lamberd) and younger brother Ken. They were close to lots of cousins, often spending time on the Hoddinott family homestead in Birds Hill and at Matlock Beach in the summers.
Phyl attended Isaac Brock and Daniel McIntyre schools in Winnipeg. After finishing high school, Phyl joined her sister at St. Boniface General Hospital to train as a nurse, and then to Montreal for further education in pediatrics.
While working at the Children’s Hospital in Winnipeg, Phyl met the young intern Dr. Alvin Elliott, and they were soon engaged to be married. They married in 1951 and were warmly welcomed by the Oak River community where Al practised. There, they made life-long friends and welcomed their first child, Judy.
Phyl and Al moved to Minneapolis, MN for three years where Al did specialty training in internal medicine. Two more daughters, Maureen and Beverly, were born there. Next, the young couple moved to Brandon where Al joined the Brandon Clinic and they had their last two children, Lawrence and Corinne.
Mom was a wonderful and caring mother within a then-traditional household, taking her five kids to their various activities, to church and Sunday school and always being a welcoming host to extended family and friends. She often included newcomers to Brandon and those without local family, including international students from Brandon University and newly arrived physicians. She taught us to be inclusive before we knew what that meant.
St. Matthew’s Cathedral in Brandon became like a second home and family to Phyl. There, she was involved in activities multiple days of the week. Her roles included being on vestry, a church warden, member of the alter guild, teaching Sunday school, being a camp nurse at Clear Lake, and hosting individuals from churches in the North. She once went with a delegation to work with Anglican women in Guyana. She loved and treasured the friends she made within the church.
Phyl also was involved in the broader community. She was a volunteer coordinator at the Brandon General Hospital and helped to establish the Nearly New Shop, which raises funds for the hospital and still operates today. She and Al were also founding members of Hobbs Manor, an enriched affordable seniors housing unit in Brandon.
Mom was quite active, adventurous and willing to try new things. She and Dad both learned as adults how to downhill ski, cross-country ski, and water ski. Our most memorable times are when we would do these activities as a family.
Mom’s favorite spot was Oak Lake Beach where we have a family cottage. When we were young, she would take us there for the entire summer, with Dad joining us on weekends and for his vacation. Although there was always lots of entertaining family and friends, Mom was most relaxed at the cottage.
Mom was feisty and fiercely independent as she aged. One day she faced an attempted purse snatcher while getting into her car, kneeing the would-be thief in the groin before quickly closing the door and driving off. She was later offended when the Brandon Sun referred to her as an “elderly” woman - she was about 65. Another time when Mom was over 80, she came to Winnipeg to help with Bev’s dog’s 12 newborn puppies. When one puppy went missing, Mom crawled on her belly under the deck to rescue the poor puppy.
Phyl was pre-deceased by her husband Alvin in 2016, and is survived by their five children Judy (Allan Fineblit), Maureen (Camille Page), Bev (Dan Rutherford), Lawrence (Trish Middleton) and Corinne (Charlie Booth) and grandchildren Cole Edwards, Carmen (Jesse Deckert), Emma, Josh and Sam Fineblit, Celeste and Karissa Rutherford and Keegan and Hailey Elliott, as well as her two great-grandchildren Sutton and Lennon Deckert.
Phyl received wonderful care at Lion’s Manor and the Simkin Centre in Winnipeg. Thank you to all the people who made her last years comfortable and unfailingly treated her with dignity and compassion.
Funeral service will be held at St. Matthew’s Cathedral in Brandon on Wednesday, January 10th at 2:00 PM. For those unable to attend the family invites you to watch the livestream of the funeral service for Phyl by visiting her tribute page at www.brockiedonovan.com. No flowers please, but those who wish can make a donation to St. Matthew’s Cathedral, 403-13th Street, Brandon, MB, R7A 4P9 or to their charity of choice.
