Birth date: Apr 22, 1947 Death date: Feb 15, 2025
Phyllis Mary Wahlberg, beloved wife, mother, sister, and grandmother, passed away peacefully on Saturday, February 15, 2025, with her family by her side. She was born on April 22, 1947, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Phyllis attended Read Obituary
Although Phyllis was not a member of our church she was very helpful when she came to visit. And pleasant to work with. I admired her greatly.
Beverly Cooper
Such a kind and sweet spirit they have been. They have been such a blessing to us. Our sincere condolences and prayers go out to John and his family.
Phyllis will always be remembered as the kind, enthusiastic preschool teacher for my son Randall(Randy) Thompson and his buddy Scott Mixer.
With Phyllis they were warmly greeted with a smile for every session.
Our family moved among 5 states with my husband Rick's job with Howmet. I am thankful it was Phyllis was Randy's first teacher and who introduced Randy to the world off education. She gave him a great start. Great hugs and prayers to all family members. Sera Thompson
I will be forever grateful that Phyllis was the preschool teacher for my third son Randall(Randy) Thompson, and his best friend Scott Mixer. She greeted every child with a small, a warm greeting, and with enthusiasm in class as their teacher. Our family moved among five states with my husband Rick's job with Howmet. Phyllis was his very first teacher who guided him kindly and expertly through the his first year of education. She undoubtedly gave him a great start. With gratitude for Phyllis and great hugs and prayers for the family, Sera Thompson
Wish I could be there to honor the life of Aunt Phyllis. Hollidays will not be the same without the cards arriving in the mail.
I found these slides at my dad's house.
-On Ferry leaving Ludington. Gord, Joan, Phyl 6/10/1952
-Ready to Go, Hollister, Mom, Joan, Gord, Phyl, Dad 6/10/1952
-Source of the Mississippi River. Gord, Joan, Phyl 6/12/1952
So glad I could see everyone last summer and fall.
To the Wahlberg Family:
I was so saddened to learn of Phyllis, who I believe was one of the most kindest, compassionate and loving people I ever had the pleasure to work with at MPS. I never, ever, ever, ever heard her say an ill word about any person even when they did something to her and she may have been justified to say something.
Phyllis exuded love in all that she did. She never raised her voice and would always attempt to turn bad situations into good ones through a kind and soft approach. One day in particular she had attended a meeting and one of the attendees bad mouthed one of our programs. Phyllis came and shared their remarks with me. I was livid and headed to my car to their office at the old Hackley Hospital. She worked with me for at least 20 minutes until I calmed down. I still went but I was much more level-headed when I got there. Near the end of our exchange, I told the person, "Phyllis Wahlberg saved you today...you owe her one!" I was serious too. :-)
Phyllis did sooooooooooo much with her time here on this Earth. Her commitment to MPS and the organizations she served only compares to her extreme love for John and her family!
My life is blessed because I met and worked with such a great person as Phyllis Mary Wahlberg.
Rest in Eternal Peace, PMW!
David-George Newsome
Los Angeles, CA
I first met Phyllis back when she administered a Muskegon Public Schools grant program I worked through Child and Family Services. She was always friendly and open and curious, and passionate about helping kids succeed in school. Years later our paths crossed again when we both volunteered for Voters Not Politicians to end gerrymandering in Michigan. She was a faithful collector of signatures for our petition and a great communicator for the cause. We circulated petitions together a few times and shared stories about our kids and grandkids. She was so deeply proud of her family; you brought her so much joy!
I'm so sorry for your loss, and for all of us. She was a special lady I will never forget.
I met Phyllis in 2010 when we started to co-mediate. Since then rarely a month went by when we did not co-mediate. as Robert Kennedy put it "Each time a (person) stands up for an ideal or acts to improve the lot of others or strikes out against injustice, (s)he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope."
As I got to know this humble lady with a smiling disposition, I recalled the words of another great humanitarian: "I don't know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know: the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who will have sought and found how to serve." Albert Schweitzer.
In the years of Covid I found Phyllis willing to grow beyond our in-person mediation to offer our peacemaking service on "Zoom." It was a stretch! As Norman Vincent Peale said, "When you become detached mentally from yourself and concentrate on helping other people with their difficulties, you will be able to cope with your own more effectively. Somehow, the act of self-giving is a personal power -releasing event."
Phyllis was a powerful person who taught the meaning of service and taught this Methodist pastor the full meaning of John Wesley's words: "Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can."
Phyllis, may the angels in heaven greet you with the words of Jesus, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your master.’ Matthew 25:21
Ron Iris
