Phyllis Maxine Rothwell Curtiss Knoflicek, 100, passed away Wednesday,
October 31, 2018 at Skyview Manor in Bridgeport, Nebraska.
Phyllis was born on December 1, 1917, the first child of George and Gladys
Rothwell, in Grant County, Nebraska. She graduated from Hyannis High
School in 1935 and attended Doane College and the University of Nebraska.
Phyllis married Howard J. Curtiss on September 10, 1939 on the front lawn
of the family ranch south of Hyannis. To this union four children were born.
They lived in Hyannis, Crawford, and California before moving to Alliance
in 1950.
Phyllis was a member of First Presbyterian Church where she held all elected
offices, was Sunday School Superintendent for many years, sang in the choir
and promoted the many activities of the Presbyterian Women. She was also
a fifty-year member of OES and DAR in Hyannis, NE and Chapter AH P.E.O.
in Alliance, NE. She was an active member and supporter of many other
community organizations including Campfire Girls, RSVP, the Hospital
Auxiliary, Carnegie Arts, and the local American Field Service. She and
Howard hosted and placed many foreign exchange students over the years.
They loved to travel and visited Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, Norway,
Sweden, Italy, Germany, and Brazil. They also attended several elder hostels
and took many family vacations to the Black Hills, Colorado, and Wyoming.
Phyllis married Louis Knoflicek at the Presbyterian Church in Alliance on
October 19, 1991. Phyllis became step mom to Louis’s daughter Kathy Jedlika
and husband Leonard, son Mike and wife Ardis, and son David and wife
Charlotte. Their home together became a gathering place for the families
including many a Christmas morning brunch featuring Phyllis’s legendary
cinnamon rolls. Phyllis and Louis traveled to Alaska, took a cruise, two trips
to Mexico, and a trip to Louis’s home country Czechoslovakia. They also
enjoyed the cabin in the Black Hills with their blended family.
Phyllis was preceded in death by her parents, siblings Robert, Max, Billy,
George Gene, and Martha Lu Warday and husbands Howard Curtiss and
Louis Knoflicek.
Survivors include children and spouses Larry H. and Sherrie Curtiss, Mary
and Charles Schadwinkel of Alliance, Jeanne and Doug Moran of Westpoint,
NE, and James Curtiss of Wayne, NE, twelve grandchildren, twenty-five great
grandchildren, 8 step-grandchildren, fifteen step-great grandchildren, and
two step-great grandchildren.
Funeral Services will be Friday, November 9th at 10:30 a.m. at the First
Presbyterian Church with Rev. Jay Kim officiating Burial will be in the Hyannis
Cemetery. Visitation will be on Thursday, November 8th from 1-6 p.m. at the
Bates-Gould Funeral Home with the family being present from 4:30 p.m. to
5:30 p.m.
Memorials may be given to the First Presbyterian Building Fund, the Hyannis
Cemetery, or to the donor’s choice. Online condolences may be left at
www.batesgould.com. Bates-Gould Funeral Home is in charge of the
arrangements.
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