Phyllis E. Carney, age 101, of Adair, IA, passed away on Saturday, February 3, 2024, at the Community Care Center in Stuart, Iowa.
Phyllis was born August 24, 1922, in Adair, IA, to George & DeVerda Wegner. Growing up in Adair, on Adair St, she would later graduate as part of the Adair High School Class of 1940. During her youth, she spent many hours helping her parents at the family general store, Kelsey & Wegner, located on the east end of Main Street. She was very proud to have graduated from Iowa State University in 1944 with a degree in consumer science. Phyllis immediately put her education to use, teaching for a few years at Manilla and Griswold Community Schools.
Phyllis would later marry Richard Carney on August 17, 1949, at her parent’s home in Adair. To this union, four children were born: David George, Susan Lee, Barbara Ann, and Charles Edward. For most of her adult life, Phyllis and Richard lived on their farmstead west of Adair. She thoroughly enjoyed being a homemaker and being on the farm. Phyllis also loved to sew & cross-stitch, shopping (primarily for shoes), playing cards, and attending the Guthrie Co. Fair & Iowa State Fair for many years with Richard. She was a longtime member of the First Presbyterian Church in Adair and a member of the Women’s Federated Club.
An immense sense of pride came when Phyllis and Richard attended their grandchildren’s multiple sporting events. Whether at South O’Brien or Adair-Casey, Phyllis and Richard were regular fixtures in the bleachers. She would also help coordinate family gatherings at Lake View or Lake Okoboji right before all the grandkids return to school. Later in life, Phyllis and Richard spent many wonderful years being snowbirds, traveling to Florida, Texas, and mainly to Arizona. Their travels were not just limited to the winter months, as they would travel in the summer to visit friends made in Arizona, antique tractor shows, the Amana Colonies, and trips to Alaska, the Panama Canal, and the Calgary Stampede. Her last years were spent residing and making friends in Guthrie Center at the New Homestead Independent Living, followed by the Community Care Center in Stuart.
Phyllis was preceded in death by her husband, Richard H. Carney; her parents; son, David George, and daughter, Susan Lee in infancy; sisters, Isabel Langner and Mary Ellen Wegner; brothers-in-law, Ray Langner and Calvin Carney; daughter-in-law Susan M. Carney.
Left to cherish her memory are daughter Barb (Terry) Morris of Okoboji, IA; son Charles (Vickie) Carney of rural Adair; grandchildren Andrew (Audra) Morris of Leawood, KS; Ryan (Katie) Morris of LeMars, IA; Molly (Matt) Conlon of Spencer, IA; Jamie (Mike) Moellers of Ankeny, IA; Tyler (Jessica) Carney of rural Adair; Jeremy (Elizabeth) Christofferson of Denver, CO; Brady (Jenna) Carney of Dallas Center, IA; Blair (Erin) Carney of rural Adair; sister-in-law Marilyn Canfield of West Des Moines, IA; sister-in-law Pat Carney of Adair, IA; and 18 great-grandchildren.
The funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, February 8, 2024, at First Presbyterian Church in Adair, IA, with Rev. Bob & Sandee Zirkelbach conducting the service. Interment will take place following the funeral at Sunnyhill Cemetery in Adair. A luncheon will be provided following the committal service in the fellowship hall of the First Presbyterian Church.
A visitation with the family will be held prior to the service at the church, starting at 9:30 till the time of the service.
Memorials may be directed to the Carney Family in honor of Phyllis, to be designated to many of her favorite local organizations and charities. They may be mailed to the Schmidt Family Funeral Home P.O. Box 523, Atlantic, IA 50022.
Funeral arrangements are handled by the Schmidt Family Funeral Home of Adair.
