Phyllis Opgaard

Celebration of Phyllis' Life will be 11:00 a.m., September 2, 2017 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Miller, S.D and 1:00 p.m., October 14, 2017 at Mount Cross Lutheran Church in University Place, Washington.

Phyllis was born, Phyllis Leagjeld on March 10, 1936 in Long Prairie, MN to Louis and Eva Leagjeld she lived most of her life in the Pacific Northwest.  She was the 9th of thirteen children.  Phyllis graduated from Long Prairie High School in 1952 when she was just 16, one of the youngest in her class.  She moved to Minneapolis first working as a house maid, moving up to cook, and then a job at the Creamettes factory doing screen printing.  

In the fall of 1956, Phyllis tagged along with her big brother Ted when he picked up Carl for their drive from North Dakota to Wyoming where the guys would attend graduate school. Ted later said ‘they were in love before they reached the North Dakota/ Montana border.’ She flew home, but then began an exchange of letters. Within a month, they were engaged, and were married the following June 15, 1957.

The happy couple lived in Port Angeles, WA; Lynnwood, WA; Nanaimo, BC, Canada; Madison, SD; before settling in Tacoma, WA.  She managed her household and raised her children with love and grace, always providing what they needed physically, emotionally and spiritually. She challenged them to become the best people they could be.  She was proud of her family. She had a quiet, but steady faith always believing in the power of God's love.  Wherever she lived she made lifelong friendships because of her kind, friendly nature.

Phyllis had a special gift for hospitality. Whether she was organizing a get together for friends, planning a social event for the people Carl worked with and their spouses, or hosting an event for exchange students, she had a flair for preparing a banquet fit for a king. Her warmth and kindness encouraged people to open up and feel comfortable.

She had a creative nature and loved to cook, sew, and do crafts. She taught her daughters and their friends how to do all of these things. She especially loved to give away the things she made. She made teddy bears, rag dolls, hat pin cushions, elves, and hobby horses. When she started a craft, she didn’t plan to make just one, it was always in multiples. She needed plenty to give away. When she baked, she also loved to give away her fresh made breads.

Phyllis and Carl loved to travel and visited St. Croix, St. Thomas and Hawaii during the spring of many years. In retirement, they also traveled to Norway, Italy, Japan, Korea, and many other European countries.

Phyllis was particularly proud of the money that she and Carl raised and gave for scholarships at Tacoma Community College and Dakota State University. The DSU Women’s Club named an endowment after Phyllis due to her efforts in putting together a cookbook that raised thousands of dollars for scholarships.

Their long and happy marriage produced four children: Cheryl (married to Andy Sauer), Jane (married to Rob Turner), Jill (married to Dale Simpson), John (married to Marcie Pell); ten grandchildren: Kevin (Elizabeth) Wendt, Chris (Jessica) Wendt, Nathan Sauer, Matthew Sauer, Lucas Simpson, Sterling Turner, Carlisle Turner, Joey Simpson, Lily Opgaard, and Nathan Pell; and three great-grandchildren, Elliot and Davitt Wendt (Kevin’s) and Christian Wendt (Chris’s).  She is survived by brothers Louis and David Leagjeld; sisters Karen Ward and Diane Zastrow; numerous nieces and nephews; and countless friends around the world.

Memorial gifts can be made in Phyllis’s name to the Phyllis and Carleton Opgaard First Generation Endowment, Tacoma Community College Foundation, 6501 South 19th St., Building 6, Tacoma, WA 98466 or the DSU Women’s Club/Phyllis Opgaard Endowment, Dakota State University Foundation, 820 N. Washington Ave, Madison, SD 57042.

Reck Funeral Home of Miller has been entrusted with Phyllis' arrangements.