Obituary of Phyllis Larson

Phyllis was born February 3rd, 1929 to Theodore R. and Lucile E. (Jones) McKinley in Finney County, Kansas. She passed from this life in her sleep on Tuesday February 16, 2010 after a bout of pneumonia complicating a six year battle with Alzheimer's dementia. She was an amazing woman who lived an interesting and multi-faceted life. She moved with her family to Dodge City when she was in junior high school and her father became a partner in McKinley Winter Livestock Auction. In 1948, she married Byron Gardner Larson in Boulder, CO and they lived together 20 years in Dodge City where they had four children who survive her: Theodore McKinley Larson of Boulder Colorado, Eric Byron Larson and his son, Tanner, Lora Joyce Larson and her husband Brad Pickle and Charles Gardner Larson and his wife, Jeffrey Littlejohn-Larson, all of Tulsa, OK; a brother, John McKinley and his wife, Ramona of Wichita, KS and a sister, Sally Kerschen and her husband, Jim of Dodge City, KS. Phyllis was preceded in death by a brother, Teddy in 1947 and later her sister, Iris Gibbons. At age 40, she began to expand her horizons: she bowled a 286 in a bowling league, got her pilot's license and developed a love of duplicate bridge. Subsequently, she took over an antique business after a dear friend died. Phyllis opened it as Chelsea Fair Antiques in Newkirk, OK, then moved it to Tulsa in 1986. Phyllis operated Chelsea Fair until 1996 when she sold the business and traveled around the country doing antique shows from Texas to Florida to New Hampshire and Minnesota. She loved handwork and was an avid needle pointer and quilter. When she retired from traveling at age 75, she was making up to 20 baby quilts per month for the premature infants at Saint John Medical Center. Although a private person by nature, she loved to spend time with her family and started a Tuesday night &quot;Happy Hour&quot; tradition that continued during her stay at Brighton Gardens in her final two years. She was beautiful, smart, creative and enthusiastic; a gypsy by nature and a Mom to the end. She was our best friend and we will all miss her, but we are so thankful for the wonderful life she was able to live. In lieu of flowers, friends may contribute to The Alzheimer's Association, 6465 S. Yale Ave., Tulsa, OK 74136. No services are planned at this time. Ninde Funeral &amp; Cremation, Brookside Chapel 918-742-5556&nbsp; To make an online donation simply click the link listed below: &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <a href="http://www.epartnersingiving.com/phyllisrlarson" target="http://www.epartnersingiving.com/phyllisrlarson"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman">http://www.epartnersingiving.com/phyllisrlarson</font></a> <p></p>