Phyllis J Bruggers

Phyllis Bruggers was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, and child of God. Phyllis was born to John and Cornelia (DeYoung) Voss in South Holland, Illinois on October 2, 1924. She was the middle child; her sisters Marjorie Stephens and Dorothy Voss have preceded her in death.

Phyllis attended Thornton Township High School in Illinois and graduated in 1942. She attended Thornton Junior College for two years before enrolling at Hope College, Holland, Michigan in 1945 as a Junior. She met her future husband, Glenn Bruggers, when he returned to Hope College after being discharged from the military in January of 1946. They met on his first day back on campus, when Glenn was walking the same path as Phyllis. They did not start dating right away, but it was another walk from the library that became their first date. Phyllis graduated from Hope in 1947 with a degree in Elementary Education, and taught elementary school in Dolton, Illinois.

Phyllis married Glenn on the 22nd of June 1948, after he had graduated from Hope College. Their marriage lasted for over 59 years until Glenn died on November 28, 2007. For the first three years of their marriage, they lived in Holland, Michigan, where Phyllis taught at Longfellow Elementary School while Glenn studied at Western Theological Seminary. After graduation from seminary in 1951, Phyllis and Glenn moved to New Haven, Connecticut, where they studied the Japanese language at Yale University in preparation for going to Japan as missionaries with the Reformed Church in America. During their 22 years in Japan, Phyllis taught at Fukuoka Women's University and Baiko Girls’ School. She was also the first principal of the Fukuoka International School.

In 1974, Phyllis and Glenn returned to Michigan, when Glenn was called to serve as Secretary for Asian and African Ministries of the Reformed Church in America. Phyllis taught as a substitute teacher in the Jenison Public Schools and served as secretary at Hope Reformed Church in Grand Rapids. Additionally, she worked with Reformed Church Women and as a volunteer child advocate for the Grand Rapids YWCA shelter for abused women.[Text Wrapping Break]

In 1989, Phyllis and Glenn retired and moved back to Holland from Jenison and became members of Third Reformed Church. They served as interim administrators of the RCA's Speakers Bureau for six months. At Third Reformed Church, Phyllis was a Sunday school teacher, spiritual life secretary for Reformed Church Women and an elder. She has also worked with families through the church's "Project Zero Committee" and with Good Samaritan Ministries.

Phyllis Bruggers died in hospice August 3, 2021, at Hillside Terrace in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Throughout her 96 years of life, she honored the God she loved and served with all her heart.

Phyllis Bruggers’ family includes children David (Denise Dahlgren) Bruggers of Peru, Stephen (the late Barbara Herbek) Bruggers of North Carolina, Joan (James Sullivan) Bruggers of Ann Arbor, and Carolyn Bruggers of Chicago; grandchildren Seth (Rebecca Potts) Bruggers, Daniel Bruggers, John (Laura Herrick) Bruggers, Peter Bruggers, Christopher (Jessica Tsai) Bruggers, Katherine Bruggers, Mara Sullivan, and Liam Sullivan; great-grandchildren Benjamin, Allison, Jocelyn, Luke, and Arielle; nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Cremation has taken place and a Memorial Service will be held at 11:00 AM on Saturday, August 21st at The Third Reformed Church of Holland with the Reverends Joyce Magee and Jim Neevel officiating. Burial will be in Graafschap Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Hope College (hope.edu/give), Western Theological Seminary (westernsem.edu/give) or Good Samaritan Ministries (goodsamministries.com).

Hope College

Philanthropy Services

PO Box 9000

Holland, MI 49422

Western Seminary

101 E. 13th St.

Holland, MI 49423

Good Samaritan Ministries

513 E. 8th St., Ste. 25

Holland, MI 49423