Phyllis Harper-Bardach

PHYLLIS HARPER-BARDACH

Iowa City

Phyllis Harper-Bardach died Thursday, Sept. 24, 2015. Funeral services will be 10 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 29, at Lensing Funeral & Cremation Service, Iowa City, with Father Steven Witt officiating. Visitation will be Monday from 5 to 7 p.m. at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Elder Services or Iowa City Hospice.

Phyllis Harper-Bardach was born Jan. 3, 1928, in Staten Island, N.Y., the daughter of Leland and Estelle Freeman. After graduation from high school, Phyllis enrolled at Howard University in Washington, D.C., and majored in Spanish. At Howard, Phyllis met Bill Harper, who was a medical student. They were married in 1948 after their graduation and moved to Bill's hometown of Keokuk, Iowa.

Phyllis' early profes-sional life was focused on a pedagogy that included parents' participation. During those years, Phyllis lectured on parent education in guidance and counseling at Summer Institute for Parents of Preschool Deaf Children in Illinois. When Freeman entered secondary school at the Illinois School for the Deaf in Jacksonville, Ill., Phyllis supervised the Parent-Pupil Tutor Program there and gained national recognition for the article "A Visible Speech Aid" in the Volta Review.

Shortly after the death of her husband in 1975, Phyllis decided to further her education and moved to Iowa City, entering the Ph.D. program at the University of Iowa. In 1980, she received her doctorate in educational administration through the College of Education. At the University of Iowa, Phyllis served as a lecturer, supervisor of student teachers, teacher and consultant until her retirement in 1990.

In Iowa City, Phyllis met and married Dr. Janusz Bardach in 1981.

Survivors include three children, Bill (Donna) Harper of Berkeley, Calif., Freeman (Dorian Dorado) Harper of Iowa City and Phyllis (Dr. Michael) Finch of Phoenix, Ariz.; four grandchildren, Stephen Harper, Michael Finch, Veronica Finch and Allen Finch; her stepchild, Ewa (Hani Elkadi) Bardach of Iowa City; stepgrand-daughter, Nina Elkadi of Iowa City; sister, Pauline Cheesman of Staten Island, N.Y.; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.

She was preceded in death by her first husband, Dr. William Harper, and second husband, Dr. Janusz Bardach.

Online condolences may be sent to www.lensing funeral.com.