Kilpatrick, Phyllis Jean

Phyllis Jean Kilpatrick of Cedar Rapids passed peacefully from this life on Friday, April 8, 2011, at the Dennis and Donna Oldorf Hospice House of Mercy in Hiawatha. Her Celebration of Life service will be at Cedar Memorial Park Chapel of Memories in Cedar Rapids at 1 p.m. Monday, April 11. Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Phyllis was born June 4, 1933, in Ames, Iowa, the youngest of three children to William and Rose Kelley. Phyllis was married to Donald Madlock in 1955. She was a technician at Collins Radio for many of NASA's Apollo missions, including the Apollo 11 moon landing. She also served as a board member of the A. Philip Randolph Institute in the 1970s and was an active member of the Cedar Rapids and Iowa chapters of the NAACP and the AFL-CIO (including serving as a steward at Collins Radio). In addition she served as president of the Iowa Democratic Party and Iowa NOW. Phyllis also went on to work for the Iowa Bureau of Labor and taught at Kirkwood Community College. While working at the University of Iowa Public Health Department, she met Franklin Kilpatrick and they married in 1984. She worked for the City of Iowa City as a housing inspector and retired from the City of Cedar Rapids Housing Department in 2005.

Phyllis was a generous and strong presence among her family, community and the state of Iowa. Phyllis was always politically active in her community and was a master gardener. Her positive attitude about her life and its finality assisted all who saw her bravery. She gave fresh cut flowers to all who needed a pick-me-up.

Her beauty and grace will be missed by all who loved her.

Phyllis is survived by sons, David Madlock, Tampa, Fla., Gordon Madlock (Jaketta), Oswego, Ill., Kenneth Madlock (Teresa), North Liberty, and Jayson Madlock (Rachel), Fruitland; daughters, the Rev. Marcia Kilpatrick Madlock (the Rev. Darin Lovelace), Park City, Utah., Monica Nielsen, Mason City, and Judy Bridges, Virginia; 19 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; five nieces; two nephews; four stepchildren, Judy Kilpatrick, Chicago, David (Nancy) Kilpatrick, Pinehurst, N.C., Jon Kilpatrick, Coralville, and Robert Kilpatrick, Tomball, Texas; and many other loved ones and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her brother; her sister; her husbands, Frank and Donald; and her son, Ricky McFalls.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be offered to the Dennis and Donna Oldorf Hospice House of Mercy, 315 18th Ave., Hiawatha, IA 52233. Phone (319) 398.6498.

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