Newhouse, Phyllis Joan

Phyllis Joan Newhouse, 81, of Marion, died peacefully Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2013, at St. Luke's Hospital, Cedar Rapids, surrounded by her husband and daughter. Funeral Service: 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 7, at Lutheran Church of the Resurrection, Marion, by the Rev. Dennis Johnson, assisted by Pastor David Strable. The family will greet friends from 4 to 8:30 p.m. Friday at Murdoch Funeral Home & Cremation Center, Marion. Family Burial: Ames Municipal Cemetery, Ames, on Monday, Sept. 9.

Known as “Phyl” to her friends, Phyllis was born Nov. 15, 1931, near St. Charles, Iowa, to Carl Leslie and Louisa Mae (Barber) Strable. She was baptized and confirmed at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Martensdale, Iowa. Phyllis attended all 13 years of schooling and graduated from Martensdale High School in 1949. She enrolled at Iowa State University and met her intended, Virgil Luther Newhouse. They were married Nov. 25, 1951, at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Martensdale. Phyllis was a charter member of Lutheran Church of the Resurrection, Marion. She worked in accounting at Collins Radio for over 40 years.

Phyllis spent many years contributing to bowling organizations at the league, association, state and national levels. She was a youth bowling coach and Cedar Rapids Area secretary and a lifetime member of U.S. Bowling Congress. Phyllis was in the Cedar Rapids Area Bowling Hall of Fame and a member emeritus of the Women's Bowling Association Iowa State Chapter. She was president of the Cedar Rapids Women's Bowling Association for several years and was instrumental in securing and conducting the Women's International Bowling Convention and Tournament in Cedar Rapids in 1991.

She is survived and lovingly remembered by her husband of 62 years. Virgil Newhouse of Marion; daughter, Angela (David) Newhouse Sweet of Des Moines; sister, Sara Sue (John) Groh of Johnston; sisters-in-law, Sylvia Strable of Indianola and Aileen Strable of Prole; nieces, Kelly, Deborah, Sherry and Deanna; nephews, Pat and David; extended family, including stepgranddaughter, Caroline (Bob) Pester, and their sons, Matthew and Andrew; and many friends.

Phyllis was preceded into eternal life by her parents; her beloved son, Brian Luther in 1975; brothers, Jack and Frank; and two infant sisters, Donna Mae and Shirley Lou.

Memorials are preferred to the Phyllis J. Newhouse Memorial Fund and can be made at any Hills Bank location or to the Cedar Rapids Youth Bowling Scholarship Fund, c/o Barb Staub at Lancer Lanes, 3203 Sixth St. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404, in memory of Phyllis.

The family of Phyllis Newhouse wishes to express their gratitude for all acts of kindness shown to them in their time of sorrow.

Please sign the online guest book for Phyllis at www.murdochfuneralhome.com under obituaries.

Published Sept. 6, 2013 in The Gazette