Phyllis Opal Pelzer Baier, aged 94 years, two weeks, passed away April 17, 2023 at the Heritage House in Atlantic, Iowa. Phyllis was born April 3, 1929, in Noble Township of Cass County, Iowa the first child to Lloyd and Ruby Pelzer.
Phyllis grew up on the farm she was born on where she and her brother Basil were typical farm kids. As with so many during this time, life was not always easy as they helped with farm chores, gardening, and walked to school . Trapping was an activity that kept them busy as they often checked traps on their walk to school. Phyllis was proud of the picture of her and Basil and the “hundred” skunks they had trapped one year!
Phyllis met Randall, the love of her life, at Griswold High School. They began dating and continued to date during his furloughs from the army and his eventual discharge. After becoming engaged, they were married on May 20, 1947. They started farming that spring on rented land and continued to farm rented land in the Lyman and Cumberland area until they purchased their “home place” in 1954. During this time three sons, Arnold, Steve, and Kelly, were born. In 1959, additional land was purchased. Cows, sows, ponies, chickens and milk cows were added in hopes of keeping three active boys busy and out of trouble. In 1960, a daughter, Kristin, was added to complete the family.
Phyllis enjoyed her farm life and animals. Little pigs were warmed by the stove and bottle calves were fed. There are many stories of her “wintering” kittens in her porch or garage because winter would be too hard on such little things. She never saw a kitten that she couldn’t love.
Phyllis was an avid gardener and always kept the fruit cellar full and her family well fed from her large garden. Canning beans, corn, pears, peaches, apples and chicken filled many fall days. As Kristi got older, she was put in charge of watching the pressure gauge on the canner. Her mother had convinced her that if she let the needle move to the red zone the canner would surely explode. This is how Phyllis taught Kristi to pay attention to details!
Phyllis was also a talented seamstress, sewing most of the clothes her children wore, even making “leisure suits” for the boys and Randall. Her sewing talents turned to quilt making later in her life. Many of her family members have Grandma’s quilts to warm them.
Phyllis started teaching after high school graduation in 1946 and taught until they started a family. At one time, with a teacher shortage, Phyllis was called into service again so with no daycare she loaded up a very young Kelly and took him to school with her. He played in the back of the room or outside by himself while she taught.
As the family got older, Phyllis returned to full time teaching. She taught in several country schools in the Grant, Lyman, Griswold area ending her career at the school two miles east of Griswold. She never lost her love of learning and was a life-long learner.
After being a full-time mom and farm wife while her children grew up, Phyllis again returned to the work force on March 17, 1973, at the Griswold post office . She worked as a postal clerk until August 20, 1983, when she became the postmaster. She was an avid supporter of the U.S. Postal System and discouraged family from using email for years. She believed if it was worth communicating, you should write a letter, put a stamp on it, and mail it. Her belief from the beginning was that email and internet services would ultimately be the downfall of the postal system and was vocal about it to her family who kept their email activity a secret from her. She retired from the postal service October 2, 1992 having attended many state and national conventions, meetings, and trainings. Where ever she went, she never failed to make new friends.
Phyllis was a member of Noble Center United Methodist Church until its closing in December, 2018. An active member, she was involved in numerous church activities. She served as Sunday School teacher, United Methodist Women leadership roles, administrative board, ingathering coordinator, and various other committees both at the local, district, and state level. It was through this involvement, that she and Randall became active in Volunteers in Mission (VIM) work. This work took them to numerous places in the world, painting classrooms in Russia where they also had the opportunity to tour Moscow, building homes in Mexico while sleeping on mats on dirt floors, building fences, and pouring concrete to improve the lives of others. When they decided that they had reached an age when they no longer should be leaving the United States, they went to Baldwin, LA where they did work at the UMCOR headquarters.
During this time, Phyllis and Randall also travel to other parts of the world touring Europe and visiting all fifty states. They especially enjoyed their trip to Hawaii where they were able to visit Pearl Harbor and other World War II sites.
Phyllis was pleased that the legacy of Noble Center United Methodist Church would live on through the Lakin Child Development Center of Griswold. During her last ride, she was excited to see the activity at the site as it was being built. Unable to attend the ground breaking, she celebrated it as she eagerly watched the recordings of the events knowing that the church she had grown up in had made a difference in the community.
Phyllis was always a dedicated cheerleader for her kids, grandkids and great grands. While her children were in school she rarely missed a concert or a game, even if it required overalls and blankets in twenty-eight-degree weather. She delighted in attending events her grandchildren were involved in and actively followed her great grandchildren’s activities despite not being able to attend many of them. Most recently, she was pleased that several of her great grandchildren were involved in archery with two of them participating in the state meet and one qualifying for nationals.
Phyllis was preceded in death by the love of her life and husband of nearly 75 years, Randall, her son Arnold, son-in-law Craig Keast, her brother Basil Pelzer, her parents, and other relatives.
She is survived by her sons Steve (Barbara) Baier of Griswold, Kelly (Shelly) Baier of Cedar Rapids, her daughter Kristi Keast of Mount Vernon, IA, seven grandchildren, Jennifer (Dave Holst) Baier, Fritz (Melisa) Baier, Kate Beenken, Sam Baier, Aaron Keast, Eliza (David) Easker, and Gabe Keast, as well as eleven great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and friends.
Funeral services will be held on Friday, April 21, at 11:00 AM, at the Griswold United Methodist Church. Visitation with the family will be held on Thursday, April 20 from 5-7 PM, at the Griswold United Methodist Church. Interment will be in Noble Center Cemetery. Memorials may be donated to the Noble Initiative Foundation’s Childcare Project. Rieken Duhn Funeral Home in Griswold is assisting the family.
