Phyllis A. Elbert of Mansfield passed away peacefully on September 29th, 2023. She was born February 14, 1933 and raised in various small towns in Indiana. She graduated from Purdue University in 1955 with a degree in Pharmacy. She completed her Indiana state board examinations and worked in the Indianapolis Hospital Pharmacy. Phyllis and her husband, Charles (whom she met at Purdue), moved to Mansfield shortly after they were married in 1956.
After successfully completing the application and interview process for the Ohio State Board of Pharmacy, Phyllis worked at the Shaw and Ott Medical Arts Pharmacy. As one of the few licensed woman pharmacists in Ohio at the time, she continued her career at Mansfield General Hospital (now known as Ohio Health) until she retired after 38 years of service.
In addition to maintaining her pharmacy licenses for both Ohio and Indiana, Phyllis enjoyed many crafts, which included sewing, collecting antique sewing items, knitting, and cross stitching. Her knitting talents could be seen in the personalized Christmas stockings given to new members of the family after births and weddings. Phyllis also enjoyed watching sports, especially baseball and football. She would often ask if she could return a phone call to any one of her children, during halftime or after a game was over because she didn’t want to miss any of the action.
Phyllis also enjoyed Pinochle, Rummikub, and watching the hummingbirds that she would feed by the dining room window. Later in life, she enjoyed sporting clays, and took special interest on days that she scored better than her husband or children.
She is survived by her daughter Linda Walls and her husband Doug of Bloomington, Indiana, son Fred Elbert and his wife Sherry of Saratoga Springs, New York, and daughter Carol Kurta and her husband Paul of Owings, Maryland, as well as three grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Phyllis was preceded in death by her parents, Cloyde and Mary (Waddups) Murray, sister Viola (Kenneth) Mayes and her husband Charles Elbert.
A memorial service will be held Thursday, October 5, 2023 at 10 a.m. at the Snyder Funeral Home, 350 Marion Avenue, Mansfield, Ohio 44903. The family will receive friends following the service until 12:30 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Purdue University College of Pharmacy, https://connect.purdue.edu/IMOPhyllisElbert.
Funeral Home: Snyder Funeral Home, Marion Avenue Chapel
Website: snyderfuneralhomes.com