Phyllis Beatrice Percival, age 96, was born in in Bethnal Green, London, England on March 7, 1925 and slipped away peacefully on June 18th, 2021 in Waco, Texas. Graveside services will be on June 22, 2021 at 12:00 p.m. at Lawnhaven Memorial Gardens, located at 4989 FM Highway 1223, San Angelo, Texas. The funeral will be officiated by Elder Troy Barrington. Phyllis was the third of seven children and eldest daughter of James and Maud, nee Davidson, Percival. She was preceded in death by her former husband Robert, her parents and her brothers James, Frederick, George, Ronald and her brother-in-law Charles Sait.
On September 3, 1939, a then fourteen year old Phyllis, along with her younger brothers and sister, was evacuated from London to Norwich, Norfolk in advance of the German Luftwaffe’s blitz on London. After a couple of weeks in Norwich, Phyllis’ mother had her moved to Kings Lynn to be with her younger siblings and classmates. She and her sister Pat lived with the Harvey family, conscientious objectors, who had returned from Canada and had been compelled to stay in England by the sudden onset of WWII.
Phyllis’s two elder brothers, Jim and Fred, enlisted in the British Army and Royal Navy, respectively. Jim served with honor in Iceland and Scotland. He was sent home after contracting a sickness similar to polio. Fred was lost at sea with all hands on the destroyer HMS Belmont on January 31, 1942. The HMS Belmont was sunk by a German U Boat off of Halifax, Nova Scotia. The destroyer was escorting cargo ships from New York to Murmansk, USSR. Until her death she felt the loss of her brother Fred.
Just prior to her sixteenth birthday Phyllis and her siblings returned to Bethnal Green, London. At this time the docklands of London were still under heavy Luftwaffe bombardment. During these night time bombing raids Phyllis, her family and friends took shelter in the Tube stations under London. When the Nazi bombing stopped they would return home to prepare for another day at work.
Phyllis worked for Toye & Co. of Red Lion Square where she was a secretary. Toye & Co. made medallions and insignia for service men’s uniforms. Phyllis worked there for about 16 months. She then worked for the Transport and General Workers Union of Greens Lane in Finsbury Park for the next four years. Phyllis was a great supporter of organized labour.
While out with friends at a USO dance she met her future husband, Robert Bauerlein, of San Angelo, Texas. He had been drafted into the Army/Air Corps and sent to Peterborough, England. When he “went to meet the folks” the young Texan said he was “mighty scared of her giant Scandinavian brothers”. The American serviceman was apparently greeted by Phyllis’s father and five of her six brothers. They married on July 25, 1945 at Shoreditch Tabernacle Church, a Baptist church, at the end of the World War II they moved to Texas.
Phyllis worked for many years in the food service industry, first in Carlsbad, Texas, at the tuberculosis sanitarium, then at Angelo State University and finally with the San Angelo Independent School District. After retirement she worked as a volunteer with the Foster Grandparents Program at Reagan Elementary School. She enjoyed seeing the spark in the children’s eyes when they realized a concept. As a reward for good behavior she would let the children sit on her motorized scooter while they read her the story for the day.
In the fall of 2005 Phyllis moved to Waco, Texas to be close to her daughter. They had a special bond that only a mother and daughter share. Both had grown up in homes full of boys, both were the mothers of families of boys and both enjoyed when the boys went off and “the girls” could be alone. While her health permitted she volunteered at Cedar Ridge Elementary School in the reading room.
Phyllis was a long time member of the New Hope Primitive Baptist church in the Lake View neighborhood of San Angelo, Texas. She particularly loved sacred harp singing, travelling for church activities and joining with the congregation in Communion.
Even though Phyllis would speak lovingly about London her heart was completely given to Texas. One of her greatest joys was to drive off across Texas in support of the Primitive Baptist Church. If she lost her way she would say “You can’t get lost in Texas, you just find a new way home”.
Phyllis is survived by her sister Pat Sait of Chatham, England; sister in law Peggy Percival of Hornchurch, England; and her brother Tony Percival of Algarve, Portugal. She is also survived by her children David Bauerlein of Austin, Richard Bauerlein and Curtis Bauerlein of San Angelo, Pat Bauerlein of Waco, Byron Bauerlein of Ballinger and Frederick Bauerlein of Marietta, Georgia. She had a special affection for her former son in law, Donald Ware of San Angelo, whom she considered to be another son. Her survivors also include her grandchildren Jamey Bauerlein and wife Michelle of San Angelo, Dawn Bauerlein Foster and husband Rusty of Amarillo; Caitlin Bauerlein of San Angelo, Leslie Ware of Robinson, Ray Ware and wife Elena of Waco, Cody Ware and wife Lacy of Belton, Kristen Bauerlein Webb and husband Eric of San Antonio and Brent Bauerlein of Ballinger. And by her nine great grandchildren Jordyn Bauerlein, Braxton Bauerlein, Grace Ware, Brandon Ware, Angel Ware, Carolina Ware, Azariah Orozco, Royce Knight and Julio Enriquez.
She was extremely proud that all of her children completed high school and had attended college. All of her children graduated from San Angelo’s Lake View High School. The graduations started in 1965 with her eldest son David and ended in 1981 with her youngest son Fred.
In lieu of flowers the family requests that you have a meaningful conversation with someone who makes a difference in your life.
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