Phyllis Arden Chutuk

Our good friend, mom, grandma, sister, aunt, cousin, and all around joyful presence and beautiful ray of sunshine Phyllis Chutuk embarked on a new adventure, leaving this world on Aug 8 at 11:15 am surrounded by her children and at peace at home in Oceanside.

Phyllis was born in Los Angeles to Helen (Gettle) Chutuk and Philip Chutuk on September 20, 1932. Growing up on Clela Ave in East LA along with her sister Jackie, she enjoyed the safety and warmth of an immigrant neighborhood filled with other kids who became life-long friends. She graduated from Garfield High School and Whittier College. The year she graduated, Richard Nixon was commencement speaker much to the immense pride of her father Philip, who felt honored to shake the hand of the then Vice President of the United States.

Phyllis became a talented educator, teaching Home Economics at Rim of the World High School in Lake Arrowhead for 2 years before moving her family to Oceanside where she taught at Oceanside High School for 32 years before retiring. She loved her students, and was beloved back, often being voted Teacher of the Year. Always yearning for adventure, she received a Fulbright and taught in England for a year. Phyllis loved traveling and took her family on cross country trips each summer, often to World Fairs, National Parks, assorted roadside attractions, always camping in a KOA or state campground, finding her way with AAA guidebooks and maps. Northern California was another favorite place, Yosemite, Mammoth, Long Live Mono Lake. The beach, the deserts, the mountains, Phyllis was at home in a car driving for hours to see new things and go new places. As well, she enjoyed living in England, and traveling around Europe and Japan and the east coast.

In addition to her family, friends, teaching and traveling, Phyllis loved See’s Candy, the ocean view from her long-time Fire Mountain home, being generous and giving, buying whatever item any kid was selling at her door, seasonal dishtowels, hiking the back country of Yosemite with Shaun, shopping, all the family reunions, giving tours at the Mission Inn, Dubrovnik, tamburitza music and dancing, the beach. And of course, all of her many wonderful pets across the decades, incredible shelter dogs including her one of her first, a dachshund-mix named Susie Dachshund from the early 60s, and last beloved yellow lab, Sugar. She also treasured all of her granddogs, including Ellie, Sora, Mochi, and Yuzu and her grandcats Artemis and Blue.

Phyllis is survived by her children Dr. Eric Mayer (wife Dianne and grandson Shaun), Laura Mayer (son Chris Butler), Jim Tuller (wife Chie), longtime loyal companion Carlos Alvarez (son Jacob), beloved grandsons Shaun and Chris, her beloved sister Jacqueline Domancich, Jackie’s children Michael (Emilyn), Dan (April), and Susanna, as well as Dan and April’s daughters Hayley, Holly, and Hannah (husband Isaiah and son Percy) and cousins Linda Sedillo (her daughters and grandsons), Nicky (Sally) Leko, Donna (husband Fred and son Sam and family) Borelli, Georgina Walters (sons Garrett Kent) and John Leko, the Thalmeyer and Allen families, her schwester Karin (husband Hank, children Joe and Chris) and many other treasured cousins in Idaho and Missouri.

In addition to family, although she considered them family as well, Phyllis leaves behind her childhood friend Helen from Clela Street, the children and grandchildren of her long time friend Genie Sullivan of Manhattan Beach, her high school friend Irene, her Oceanside High School friends Debbie Foley, Kevin and Michelle Grump and Kent Dawson (Diane), the beloved girls down the street Juliet and Ginny Weirsema, all of her Laurel Road neighbors, her Brooks Street pool and Curves friends as well as many beloved former students. No doubt Phyllis had friends and circles of friends not mentioned here, all over the world who she treasured as well.

Phyllis had 2 favorite songs. One was You are My Sunshine which expresses perfectly her appreciation of the friendship and love of other people. All of the love coming her way made her “so happy when times were gray.”

Her other favorite song was You’ve Got a Friend by Carole King which expresses as well how she felt to all the people in her life:

When you're down and troubled

And you need some lovin' care

And nothin', nothin' is goin' right

Close your eyes and think of me

And soon I will be there

To brighten up even your darkest night

You just call out my name

And you know wherever I am

I'll come runnin'

To see you again

Winter, spring, summer or fall

All you have to do is call

And I'll be there

You've got a friend

If the sky above you

Grows dark and full of clouds

And that old north wind begins to blow

Keep your head together

And call my name out loud

Soon you'll hear me knockin' at your door

Now ain't it good to know that you've got a friend

When people can be so cold?

They'll hurt you, yes, and desert you

And take your soul if you let them

Oh, but don't you let them

You just call out my name

And you know wherever I am

I'll come runnin'

To see you again

Winter, spring, summer or fall

All you have to do is call

And I'll be there

You've got a friend.