August 21, 1930 – February 20, 2026
Phyllis was born in Bedford, Indiana at her grandmother’s house. Her family lived on a farm outside Bedford and then moved to town in 1947.
She was a graduate of Shawswick High School in Lawerence County Indiana class of 1947. She nearly got her pilots license after high school but instead moved to Chicago to start a job in aviation at Eastern Airlines, where she met her future husband Joseph Urban. They were married in 1957 and spent their lives together until his passing in 2004.
During her life, she was an author of short stories, an artistic painter, a newspaper editor, and copy writer among others. She was always creative. Phyllis loved traveling, including trips around the U.S. including Hawaii, as well as Europe, Canada, and the Bahamas. She liked big cities, the bigger the better. She was a voracious reader, and loved books. During her life, she had a large collection of books. She also was fan of Dixieland jazz. She was an avid letter writer of any injustice she observed, however, if she liked you, she called you “kid”.
She was a daughter, sister, wife, mother, aunt and grandmother to her beloved family including her brother Walter and sister Wanda and children Paul and Mary and grandchildren Hadley and Rydell, and all her cousins that she treasured.
She loved deeply and will be missed by all that knew her.
Funeral services will be conducted at 1:00 p.m., on Friday, February 27, 2026, at Day and Carter Mortuary in Bedford. Visitation will be from 11:00 a.m. to the hour of service.
Family and friends may express condolences at www.daycarter.com.
