Phyllis Jean Carlson was born in Anita, Iowa on August 29, 1939, to Lawrence H. and Leona M. (Witte) Carlson. She entered into rest on November 15, 2021, at the Griswold Care Center in Griswold, IA. She grew up and attended school in Anita, and some of her favorite memories from high school were playing guard on the basketball team and being a drum majorette. After high school, she was united in marriage to Raymond Dean Aupperle at the Church of Christ in Anita, IA on May 26, 1957. From this union came four children: Terry Dean, Cliff Allen, Linda Kay, and Erick Lee.
Phyllis belonged to the congregation of Pine Grove Methodist Church and was a member of the UMW. She was a 4-H leader and was also actively involved in many groups and activities over the years, including the Daisy Garden Club, Violet Garden Club, Little Britches Rodeo, the C&M Booster Club, and the Massena Fire Women’s Auxiliary- the Sparkettes. She and Raymond also enjoyed card parties and were a part of the Shirts & Skirts Square Dance Club. In her free time, she enjoyed sewing, crochet, cross-stitch and reading. She especially loved to bake and had an extensive collection of Salt & Pepper Shakers.
Over the years, she worked with Raymond on the farm, mowed the Massena Cemetery, and traveled with RGIS doing inventory. Along with her mother-in-law, Ellen Aupperle, and her sister-in-law, Donna Claussen, she opened and operated “The Closet,” a second-hand store in Massena. She also planted and cared for a large garden and canned produce each year. Each August she looked forward to the family vacation in Minnesota and enjoyed the trips that she and Raymond took to Las Vegas with friends. In 2011, Phyllis moved from the farm outside Cumberland to a home in Atlantic. The last few years, she enjoyed her girls’ luncheon with her classmates, and always looked forward to visits from her family- especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. The last 7 years, she was happy to have her granddaughter, Laura, and their puppy Roxy Anne living with her.
Surviving Phyllis is her children, Terry (Jacquie) Aupperle of Wiota, IA and their children Ryan (Nicole) of Adair, IA, Katie of Grimes, IA and Sidney of Wiota, IA; Cliff (Julie) Aupperle of Wiota, IA and their children Justin (Bethany) and children Cameron and Brystol of St. Ansgar, IA and Jessica of Wiota, IA; Linda (Jeff) Jurchen of Cumberland, IA and their children Teresa (Luke) Brandenburg and sons Jacob, Isaac, and David of Osborne, KS, Diane (Steve) Brahms and children JoAnn, Jack, and Nora of Cumberland, IA and Laura of Atlantic, IA; Erick Aupperle of Cumberland, IA and his children Heather (Christopher) Hines of Dahlonega, GA and Morgan (Quinn) Hesterlee and their children Avery and Eli of Elko, NV. She is also survived by her sister Donna Carlson of Green Castle, PA and her sisters-in-law Donna Claussen of Griswold, IA, Mary Ellen Carlson of Ogden, IA, Betty Carlson of Long Grove, IA, and Linda Carlson of Atlantic, IA, as well as many nieces and nephews.
Preceding Phyllis in her death were her parents Lawrence and Leona Carlson; her husband, Raymond; her mother and father-in-law, Oscar and Ellen Aupperle; her siblings, Gaile, Marvin, Darrell “Bud”, and Gladys “Tooty” Carlson.
Visitation with the family present will be at 10 AM, Thursday, November 18, 2021, at the Schmidt Family Funeral Home in Atlantic, Iowa followed by a funeral service starting at 11 am at the funeral home with Rev. Casey Pelzer officiating. Lunch will follow the service in the Community Room of Schmidt Family Funeral Home and burial will take place at Massena Township Cemetery near Massena, Iowa. Memorials can be made to Relay for Life and left or mailed to the funeral home. The Schmidt Family Funeral Home of Atlantic, Iowa is caring for the Aupperle Family at this time and condolences can be sent at: schmidtfamilyfh.com
