Phyllis L. Stacklie

Phyllis Lee Stacklie took her final walk and went to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on November 5, 2025. She was ready and not afraid as she knew she would again join her loving husband Col. Robert L. Stacklie who preceded her in death on April 26, 2007. She was born on March 20,1926 in Ravenna, Nebraska and was the oldest of two children predeceased by her brother Robert D. Nelson. She was raised in Grand Island, Nebraska and moved to Longview, Washington at a young age and graduated from R.A. Long High School in Longview.

After high school, she served her country in 1944, as she pursued nurse’s training during World War II in Olympia, Washington. She married the love of her life and high school sweetheart Lt. Robert L. Stacklie on New Year’s Day 1946 in Vancouver, Washington. She was the consummate officer’s wife and supported her husband’s Air Force career throughout their married life. After her marriage, she raised her family and supported her husband’s career with moves to Portland, Oregon; Tacoma, Washington; Colorado Springs, Colorado; Syracuse, New York; returning to Colorado Springs prior to their retirement and eventually moving to Goodyear, Arizona.

She maintained a strong Lutheran faith and a committed religious life being involved in many church committees and volunteer work, along with doing Bible study and using that time to guide her daily life and decisions. After being a devoted spouse, she as a mother and homemaker, felt raising her children was the most important role she played in her marriage. She was proud of her children’s, grandchildren’s and great grandchildren’s accomplishments and they always brought a smile to her face. This included her influence and relationships with her nieces and nephews.

She was a talented and very creative artist utilizing many different media from ceramics to painting with oils and watercolors always pursuing new techniques and approaches. She never saw a paintbrush she did not like! While in Syracuse, she refined her talents and was certified as an instructor to teach in ceramic and porcelain media. She later taught ceramics at the Arts and Craft Center at the Air Force Academy.

Phyllis loved her golf and played at every opportunity she had as well as serving on the Board for several different organizations. She enjoyed membership in the Longview Country Club, and other golf organizations in Portland, Colorado Springs, Syracuse, and at Pebble Creek in Goodyear where she moved after retirement. The highlight of her golfing career was the time she achieved a hole in one during a tournament in Colorado Springs. That ball and the associated trophy always maintained a prominent place in her home.

To say that Phyllis was the life of the party at any gathering she attended would be an understatement. Her outgoing personality and social grace was always an inspiration to others. She enjoyed a long and fulfilling life full of excitement, motor home travel and additional overseas trips along with the joy of being surrounded by her loving family. She will be missed beyond measure by her extended family which includes children: son and daughter-in-law Robert and Patty Stacklie, daughter and son-in-law Cynthia and Bruce Richards, son and daughter-in-law Tim and Karen Stacklie. She is also survived by seven grandchildren, fifteen great grandchildren and nine great great grandchildren.

Services will be scheduled at a future date. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Trinity Lutheran Church in Litchfield Park, Arizona or Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado.