Phyllis Ann Bedwell

On November 15, 2025, our beloved mother, Phyllis Ann Bedwell, was called to be with the Lord. Mom lived a life rooted in faith, devoted to Christ, and guided by the teachings of the Holy Bible. Her life’s mission was one of faith, compassion, and Godly love towards others.

Phyllis was born in Granite City, Illinois, March 18, 1938, to Walter Edward Brown and Charlotte Wilhemina Erxleben, both who proceeded her in death, and later moved to Terre Haute, Indiana. Her father passed when she was 12 and a few years later grandma Char married Max Frederick Walker who raised Phylly and was everyone’s loving Grandpa Max.

Phyllis attended Elementary and Secondary school in Terre Haute, Indiana, where she excelled at English, Drama, Physical Education, Spanish and Music, which the latter 2 she would later use to fulfill her life’s goal of spreading the word of God throughout the nations. She went on to attend Indiana State University (ISU) and complete a master’s degree in English and Psychology. This is where she gave her life to the Lord and his calling at the age of 20 and was an integral part of the Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship and where she would meet the love of her life H. Ray Bedwell.

At ISU, they both received a calling from God to do missionary work which became their life-long service, and after 5 months of courtship, were married at First Evangelical United Brethren Church on August 30, 1959, and began serving the Lord and follow their calling for missionary work for the rest of their lives. They went on to study Bible and Missions at Columbia Graduate School of Missions in South Carolina and later served as pastors in Lyons, Fontanet and Kingman, Indiana. They both also served as youth leaders for 3 years with the Federal Youth Corps while becoming interim pastors in 1969 at World Gospel Church in Terre Haute, Indiana. After graduating Spanish Language Institute in San Jose, Costa Rica (4 years), thru the Latin American Mission (LAM, now United World Mission), and other supportive churches in the U.S., they moved to Monterrey, Mexico in 1973.

Here, they raised 3 children, and quickly began a ‘missions’ approach team working with local University students, which is the same way they had met the Lord (and each other) at ISU, and a few years later, would co-found ‘El Castillo del Rey’ church (CDR), along with Pastors Roger and Maria Wolcott, which thru the next 45 years would become the center foundation of more than 165 CDR churches globally. Also, while in Monterrey, Mexico, they founded and directed the Center for World Evangelism (CEM), with the support of World Gospel Church, Castillo del Rey, United World Mission (LAM), and many other U.S. and Mexican churches and church members. For more than 40 years in Mexico, she ministered as a youth pastor, women’s counselor and women’s Bible study leader, choir director for the CDR church, and would also form and lead the ‘Cantores Del Rey’, (Singers for the King), a Christian musical group which gave concerts and spread the Word of God thru music and discipleship.

Phyllis is survived by a daughter, Lori Lynn Bedwell, her two sons, Kirk Steven Bedwell, and Kyle Douglas Bedwell, as well as 7 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren. Throughout their many years of doing God’s work in Monterrey, Mexico, many church-members called upon them as being their own Papa y Mama, Ramon y Filis. Some were basically adopted because they had no parents of their own, others maybe felt parental love and support through Ray and Phyllis’s guidance, teachings and example, and who were always available and willing to give a loving and helping hand to anyone. There was always someone in our home either staying a few days, months, sometimes years. They loved, and were loved by many...

Special thanks to the many church congregations and Pastors who supported the Bedwell Family for 60+ years, Castillo del Rey Pastors and congregations, United World Mission (LAM), healthcare workers from Methodist Hospital in San Antonio, Texas, Vitas Hospice, San Antonio, and Pastors Pedro and Mari Magallanes from CDR, San Antonio, who helped care for Mom these last few months, thank-you. Also, deep appreciation for Pastor Ben Burdick from World Gospel Church, Dignity Memorial and Highland Lawn Cemetery.

A celebration of Phyllis’s life will take place at World Gospel Church, 900 Gardendale Rd, Terre Haute, IN., on Saturday, December 13, 2025, with a viewing at 12:00pm and a service at 1:00pm. Following the service at WGC, a ceremony will be held at the small Chapel next to her burial site at Highland Lawn Cemetery, 4420 Wabash Ave., Terre Haute, IN., and then placed to rest next to the love of her life, Ray Bedwell, and her own parents, Max and Char.

RIP Momma dear…