Phyllis Raye Rohleder

Phyllis Raye Rohleder, age 92, formerly of Meadville, Pennsylvania, passed away peacefully at the home of her daughter in Conneautville, on July 18, 2019, just three days shy of her 93rd birthday. 

Phyllis was born to the late Charles Elmer and Beulah Fauntelle (Niceswanger) Sanders on July 21, 1926 in Sac County, Iowa.

She was a graduate of the class of 1942 from Early High School in Early, Iowa, at the age of 16. After graduation she worked in the printing department at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, where she also met Richard (Dick) Pardee who was militarily stationed there at the time.  In April of 1946 Phyllis moved to Meadville, Pennsylvania, to wed Dick, and that union lasted until 1958. She continued to live in the Meadville area and was employed at the former Meadville Bread Company and later as a bookkeeper at Gelvin, Jackson, Starr Insurance Company. She met Ralph Charles Rohleder in March of 1959 and they were married June 24, 1964. Ralph preceded her in death September 14, 2003.

Our mother and grandmother had many hobbies and very much enjoyed all kinds of needlework including hand quilting, tatting, crocheting, embroidery, counted cross stitch, and knitting both by hand and by machine.  She also caned chairs, reupholstered furniture, put up preserves, painted saw blades, braided rugs, was an accomplished seamstress, played the organ, loved to roller skate and enjoyed gardening. Her interests included bird watching, NASCAR, hot air balloons, and extensive travel.

Phyllis entered many items in county fairs over years and won countless ribbons. Her most cherished award was being the very first recipient of the 4-Star Homemaker award in 1986 from the Crawford County Fair.   She was also a judge at the Crawford County Fair at times.

In addition to her husband and parents she was preceded in death by two brothers Charles Lee Sanders and Francis Alva Sanders.

She is survived by her daughter Linda Rohleder and her husband Jerry McKee of Conneautville, a granddaughter Kayla Matthews and her husband Ian of Lubbock, Texas, a sister Floris (Babe) Arlene Sledge of Omaha, Nebraska, several nieces, nephews and cousins.

Family and friends are invited to call at STEPHEN P. MIZNER FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION SERVICES, INC., 404 CHESTNUT ST., MEADVILLE, PA, from 2-5 p.m. on Monday, July 22, 2019.

A funeral service will be held Tuesday, July 23, 2019 at Roselawn Memorial Gardens at 10 a.m. with Chaplain Sam Marachetta of Wesbury United Methodist Retirement Community officiating.

Memorial contributions may be to Hospice of Crawford County, 766 Liberty St., Meadville, PA 16335 or Alzheimer's Association, 1600 Peninsula Drive, Suite 15, Erie, PA 16505.

Share a memory or condolence at www.miznerfuneralhome.com