She was born on October 10, 1938, to James Edgar McCormick Jr. and Nina Lois Dobyns McCormick in Rustburg, Virginia. She was the ninth of eleven children. All of her siblings preceded her in death. She graduated from Brookville High School in 1957 with honors.
She legally married Thomas Houston Fitzgerald on December 4, 1959, in Rustburg, Virginia, and again on September 10, 1983, for all time and eternity in the Washington D.C. Temple.
She was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints having been baptized in October of 1967 in Buena Vista, Virginia. She served the Lord and many members of the church as a primary teacher, Relief Society secretary, Stake Young Women secretary and a visiting teaching supervisor.
Phyllis worked at Craddock and Terry after graduation from high school where she worked as a secretary and bookkeeper. This is where she met her eternal companion, Thomas. She also worked at Snyder and Berman Department Store as a switchboard operator, store secretary, bookkeeper and performed payroll responsibilities. Later in life she worked for Hills and PharMore as a cashier. She also babysat many children throughout the years, who looked to Phyllis as a loving grandmother.
She had a passion for and enjoyed reading, sewing and canning the many vegetables her husband Thomas grew. Phyllis was a member of the Lyn-Dan Heights Rurilaces, the Home Extension Club and TOPPS.
Phyllis leaves behind her husband of 58 years, Thomas; her daughters, Lisa F. Rakes and her husband, Gary, of Wausau, Wisconsin, and Lori F. Davis and her husband, Greg, of Brookneal, Virginia. She is the grandmother of seven, Alison R. Hostetler and her husband, Jeffrey, of Pensacola, Florida, Amanda R. Smith and her husband, Steven, of Lincoln, Nebraska, Garret Thomas Rakes of Wausau, Wisconsin, Morgan A. Davis of Brookneal Virginia, Darin Lee Fitzgerald of Brookneal Virginia, Nicholas T. Davis of Concord, Virginia, and Leah Elizabeth Rakes of Wausau Wisconsin. She is also the great-grandmother of five, Riley and Taylor Hostetler, Declan, Beckett and Daphne Smith; and other close and dear family members and friends.
A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, September 25, 2018, at Whitten Timberlake Chapel, 7404 Timberlake Rd, Lynchburg, Virginia.
Whitten Timberlake Chapel is assisting the Fitzgerald family (239-0331).
