Phyllis Anne Alexander

Phyllis Anne Alexander passed away on Thursday, December 29, 2022. She was the oldest of three girls born to the late Barnie and Opal Quesenberry. Phyllis was born on August 29, 1939 in Middlesboro, Kentucky, and was raised in North Carolina and Mississippi. She never lost her love for the South.

On January 2, 1965, Phyllis married Thomas Alexander; they had shared almost 58 years of marriage at her passing. During their marriage they moved several times, from coast to coast, due to Tom’s Navy career. Phyllis fell in love with living in San Diego and continued to vacation at the beach for years and years after moving to Glendale.

For most of her children’s early years, she was a stay at home mother making a wonderful home for them. After her youngest was old enough for school, she started working outside of the home. For over 20 years, she worked for the Peoria Unified School District. Phyllis was a teacher’s aide and a reading specialist. She loved teaching and helping the children in her care.

Outside of her faith and family, Phyllis had two great loves…the beach and chocolate! She was very talented in many areas and everything she made was done beautifully. She enjoyed sewing, doing crafts, and knitting. Most everyone she knew was given one of her knitted dishcloths. She also had the most beautiful penmanship. She was a very good cook and all her children would agree that she made the best fried chicken.

She was dedicated to her family and loved doing family history and temple work. She always made you feel like the most important person to her and she never met a stranger.

After Phyllis graduated from high school, she attended Brigham Young University for a semester. She was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints while she was there. She remained a faithful member for the remainder of her life, sharing her testimony of Christ through her words and her selfless service. Many have been the recipients of her acts of kindness.

She is survived by her husband Tom, five children Laura (Ken) Rizzuto, William (Pamela) Wood, Joel Alexander, Jennifer (Jim) Barnett and Chad (Michelle) Alexander, sister Judy (Roger) Wessman, brother-in–law Kenneth Abel, 18 grandchildren, 17 great grandchildren with three more on the way, many nieces, nephews, and extended family.

In addition to her parents, Phyllis was preceded in death by her sister Joyce Abel and grandson Riley Smith.

Funeral services will be held on Monday, January 9, 2023 at 10:30AM at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 8840 N 61st Avenue, Glendale. There will be a viewing that morning at the church from 9:00-10:00AM. Burial will follow at Resthaven Park Cemetery.