Phyllis Ann Ellermeier passed away peacefully on September 9, 2025, in Puyallup, Washington, at the age of 78. Phyllis was born in McCook, Nebraska; grew up in Trenton, Nebraska and West Liberty, Iowa before moving to Wayne, Nebraska when she was nine years old.

Phyllis was an educator throughout her life. After receiving an undergraduate degree in Art and Physical Education from Wayne State College where her parents were faculty, she taught art with Omaha Public Schools for eight years. In addition to teaching full-time, she developed summer school arts programs for elementary students and designed a Humanities curriculum for Junior High students.

In 1977, Phyllis moved to Seattle, Washington and worked for over 10 years as the Inpatient Education Director at Fairfax Psychiatric Hospital in Kirkland where she developed a reputation for being an exceptional teacher and advocate for hospitalized at-risk youth and children. While director at Fairfax, Phyllis created a full-time education program for emotionally disturbed students that grew from one small classroom in a portable building to six classrooms; created a children’s classroom and laid the groundwork for a primary classroom. During her tenure she established a long-term relationship with the local school district that created opportunities for mutual staff development and special education services. She worked directly with over 4,000 students and maintained a relationship with many of them over the years.

During her time at Fairfax, Phyllis completed a master’s degree in Behavior Disorders and a doctorate in Educational Leadership, both from Seattle University. Her PhD dissertation was about the use of humor in education. The inspiration for this came when she was young and heard students laughing in her father’s physics class. She realized her father made the students laugh and consequently made learning fun for them. Phyllis continued to find ways throughout her career to incorporate humor as she taught and interacted with students, colleagues and friends.

Upon receiving her PhD in 1992, she started working for the Puyallup School District in a Special Behavior Disorders program as a Behavior Specialist. She worked as a classroom management consultant and intervention specialist with severely behavior disordered students; taught staff development workshops and courses for teachers; and worked as a one-on-one tutor for students expelled from schools in the district.

Phyllis’ career as an educator started in 1967 and she has always been teaching something to someone. She sought knowledge and was rarely without a stack of informative and educational magazines and books. She shared her knowledge freely. She felt that a good teacher is always a good learner which is a fitting legacy for the way she lived her life.

During the 1990’s, Phyllis wrote a regular opinion article published in Seattle’s Queen Anne News called Dr. E’s Excerpts. It was a light-hearted look at everyday life with articles such as: Myths, truths and pet preferences (dogs); New rain names, but avoid brain strain; and Humor in the workplace, still a valuable tool. The articles also included her artistic sketches.

Phyllis loved to play sports. She was on the Wayne State College softball team, played competitive softball in Omaha and played golf at every opportunity. She served as Captain and was active for many years in the Riverbend Ladies Golf Association in Kent, Washington.

Art and music were constants in Phyllis’ life. As an accomplished artist, she belonged to the Omaha Artists Association and many of her works were part of a traveling show displayed across the state of Nebraska. Her 100-piece one-woman watercolor show was a high point in her career as an artist. Her artwork was colorful and lively, and she used a combination of spray paint, acrylics, sharpies, whiteout, paper and anything she felt had an interesting design element for her collages. In Omaha, she sang and played guitar for several years in a folk/rock duo, a bluegrass band, and directed a church youth choir. For the past 25 years, she was a member of the South Sound Classical Choir in Tacoma.

Phyllis is preceded in death by her parents Carl and Arlene Ellermeier; brothers Duane Ellermeier and Dennis Ellermeier. She is survived by her sister Carolyn McGill (David Domingo), Seattle, Washington; Sisters-in-law Karma Ellermeier, North Bend, Nebraska and Yetta Levine, Seattle, Washington; nieces Karrie (Chris) Hanke, Nicole Ellermeier, Anna (John) Loughran, Julia Ellermeier, Caitlin McGill and nephew Ryan McGill.

Phyllis was incredibly grateful that her beloved dogs Nikon and Leeo have been welcomed into a new home with long-time friends Kathy Bogue and Wes Stanton, and their dog Charley.

Additionally, she is survived by many friends and colleagues in the area including her dear friends Gail and Rita Welch for whom words are insufficient to express our family’s gratitude for the love, care and kindness they have shown to Phyllis over the years.

A Celebration of Life is planned for November 1, 2025, at Woodland Elementary School, 7701 112 th Street East, Puyallup, WA 98373, beginning at 1:00 pm. In a tribute to Phyllis, attendees are encouraged to wear bright colors and mis-matched socks.

Memorial donations can be made to the South Sound Classical Choir, 1105 North Prospect Street, Tacoma, WA 98406 or online at https://southsoundclassicalchoir.org/