Phyllis E. Petersen, 88, beloved Aunt to a large extended family passed away peacefully Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2021. Phyllis was born to Raymond and Helen Petersen on July 8,1933. Phyllis received her master’s degree in library science from Le Moyne College, and worked at SUNY Morrisville for 34 years as a librarian. As a life resident of her hometown Cazenovia, Phyllis devoted herself to the Saint James Catholic Church serving as a eucharistic minister and a member of the Durkin Committee. She kept active as a member of St. Peter’s Bone Builder Program and Saint James Tai-Chi Program, she was often seen practicing Tai-Chi at the local parks. She further showed her love for the community by volunteering at Caz Cares. However, her first priority was her family. She was devoted to her parents, sister and brother-in-law, nieces and nephews, grandnieces and nephews and great-grandnieces and nephews. Phyllis’s last days were spent at Brookdale Memory Care in Fayetteville, and the family would like to thank Brookdale for making her time there extremely happy.
Phyllis is survived by her nieces and nephews, Timothy (Margaret) Ryan of Tafton PA, Kathleen Ryan of Brewerton, Howard (Beth) Ryan of Cazenovia, Raymond Ryan (Colleen) of Clay, and Pamela Ryan of Syracuse; her brother-in-law, Edward B. Ryan of Ocala, FL; 12 great-nieces and nephews, and nine great-grandnieces and nephews. In addition to her parents, Phyllis was predeceased by her sister Janice Petersen Ryan.
A mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m., Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2021, in St. James Church, 6 Green St. in Cazenovia. Burial will be in St. James Cemetery. Contributions in Phyllis’s memory may be made to Caz Cares, 101 Nelson Street, Cazenovia, NY 13035 or to the Alzheimer’s Association, CNY Chapter, 441 West Kirkpatrick St., Syracuse, NY 13204-1305. To leave a message of sympathy for the family, please visit michaelebrownfuneralservices.com.
