Phyllis Vincent Birr

Phyllis Vincent Birr was born to Elizabeth and Harry W. Vincent Sr. in Pittsfield, Massachusetts in 1934, where she grew up with her brothers "Bud" and Jim, and her sister "Mo." Phyllis adored their dog "Kim”, playing with her dolls, and reading Nancy Drew books. She loved visiting her grandmother's farm, where she helped with animals while she and her brothers raised piglets named "Spot," "Stinky," and "Pew." Her social circle included friends from boarding school and her cousins, as well as her siblings.

Phyllis attended Miss Hall's School near Pittsfield, Massachusetts as well as Lauralton Hall School in Milford, Connecticut and subsequently Syracuse University. Phyllis then worked for a magazine in New York City. She modeled in her spare time and said they always put her in wedding dresses. She met and married Bob Birr while there, relocating to his home state of California. Living in San Francisco with two daughters, Lisette and Pamela, kept her busy. Son Robert was born after the family had moved to San Rafael, where Phyllis wrote and helped produce school plays, and did a little journalistic work while also being a member of charity organizations. Phyllis and Bob were duck-hunters and avid fly-fishers, standing for hours in cold rivers, lakes, and on the banks of streams to catch trout.

Phyllis was strongly drawn to Wyoming, where the family often vacationed, and she eventually moved to the tiny mountain town of Pinedale with her three children when she separated from Bob. She became editor of the local newspaper and a journalist and helped lead the community in a fight to prevent the federal government from detonating underground nuclear explosions near the town. "Project Wagon Wheel" was eventually "shelved," due to the efforts of Phyllis and other dedicated townspeople.

Phyllis moved back to California and was employed at the University of California Veterinary Medical Center in Davis, where she rediscovered her interest in animals, and stayed until her retirement.

Looking for new adventures, Phyllis relocated to Phoenix, Arizona. Exploring the desert and mountains, she settled in Sun City, where she lived for many years. Phyllis was an enthusiastic gardener, passionate about xeriscaping and plants that were native to the area. A keen reader with political interests, Phyllis kept up with current affairs and never shirked from notifying her state and federal representatives of her opinions.

Phyllis died on May 10th, 2026, peacefully after her 92nd birthday. Her quick wit and humor will be missed by her friends, her surviving brother, Jim, and her surviving children, Lisette and Robert, and son-in-law, Russ.