Phyllis Marian Thornton Field
Phyllis Marian Thornton Field, age 98, passed away peacefully at her home at
Crestview Nursing Home on October 16, 2022. .
Phyllis was born on April 14, 1924 on the family homestead in Bloomington, Wisconsin
to parents, Monroe and Mary Thornton. She shared her life on the farm with her 3
siblings, Neil, Rosemary and John.
She attended a one room school until she was in 8th grade, where she was the only
student in her class. She went on to graduate from Bloomington High School in 1942.
Phyllis earned a BS degree in Home Economics from the University of Wisconsin,
Madison in 1946, where she delighted us with her stories of living at the Anderson
House on campus.
She married Fred Field on May 22, 1946 after he returned from serving in the army
during World War II .
Phyllis began her teaching career in 1947 at Bloomington High School. She left the
classroom after 1 year in order to begin her family. She and Fred moved to Dodgeville,
Wisconsin until moving to Mauston in 1951 where she and her husband raised their 6
children.
Phyllis returned to teaching Home Economics in 1967. She taught at Mauston Middle
School until she retired in 1984. She was an outstanding teacher and especially
enjoyed working with this age group.
Upon retirement, she and her husband, Fred divided their time between their Wisconsin
home and their home at Restful Valley in Mission, Texas.
Phyllis was very active in church throughout her life. She was raised going to the
Congregational church, but joined the Methodist Church as an adult in Mauston. She
was elected as the President of the Women’s Society of Christian Service(WSCS) in
1959-60. Her time was spent organizing fund raising events for the new church. Years
after retirement, Phyllis joined the Bethany Lutheran church in 2005.
She sold her home in 2010 and moved to Terrace Heights Apartments where she was
able to spend time enjoying her hobbies of reading, sewing, and socializing with her
friends at afternoon coffee dates.
Phyllis loved her family and enjoyed sharing pictures and stories of her children and
grandchildren’s accomplishments and adventures. She was so proud of all of them.
In 2019, Phyllis moved to Crestview Nursing Home in New Lisbon, Wisconsin.
Phyllis is preceded in death by her husband Fred, parents, Monroe and Mary; brother,
Neil Thornton and sister, Rosemary Stare and daughter in-laws, Remy Field and Carol
Field.
She is survived by her brother, John Thornton, six children, Mike, Tom (LeeAnn),
Debbie (Cary), Elhardt, Steve, Todd (Mary), and Kevin (Judy). 11 grandchildren, 9 great
grandchildren, 4 step grandchildren, 6 step great grandchildren and
many nieces and nephews.
A celebration of her life will be held at a future date.
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