Ethelyn Lucine Alff

Ethelyn Lucine Alff, one of seven children of Lillie May (Haskins) and George Henry Conrad Hering, was born in November 2, 1914 in Northwood, Iowa. Her family moved to Oakland, Iowa when she was 4 years old and her father died shortly thereafter. Ethelyn grew up in the Oakland area and attended the country schools of Center Township No. 5, Evergreen School, and Butler School, and attended high school in Oakland through the 9th grade.

Ethelyn and Sumner Byron Phillips were married on August 30, 1930 in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Byron worked as a farm laborer and Ethelyn enjoyed being a farm wife and homemaker. Their marriage was blessed with six children, Byrle Dean, Darwin, Dale, Marilyn, Kenneth, and Richard. In 1943, Ethelyn and Byron rented a farm east of Hancock, Iowa and continued to farm in the Hancock area until Byron's sudden death on July 10, 1963. To support her family, Ethelyn took a position working in the hospital in Atlantic, Iowa, and later became a clerk at Ruback's Grocery Store in Oakland.

Ethelyn and Delmar Albert "Tom" Alff were married on April 16, 1966 in Blue Springs, Nebraska and made their home on Tom's farm near Macedonia, Iowa. Ethelyn retired from the grocery store in 1972 and worked part-time at the Oakland Manor Nursing Home.

Ethelyn and Tom were married almost 36 years when Tom passed away on April 7, 2002.

Ethelyn was a member of the Hancock United Methodist Church and the Hancock Neighborhood Club and attended the Henderson United Methodist Church. She had a strong faith in the Lord and loved studying the Bible. Ethelyn enjoyed listening to music and loved visits from her family and friends.

In November 2008, Ethelyn moved to live at the Oakland Manor and passed away there on February 4, 2013, at the age of 98 years, 3 months, and 2 days. She was preceded in death by her parents; husbands, Byron Phillips and Tom Alff; sons, Byrle Dean Phillips in infancy, Darwin Phillips, Dale Phillips, and Kenneth Phillips and wife Virginia; daughter Marilyn Nodgaard; sisters, Mary King, Marguerite Amos, and Laverne Wilson; and brothers, Leslie Hering, Charles Hering, and Milton Hering.

Ethelyn is survived by her son Richard Phillips and wife Barbara of Colorado City, CO; daughter-in-law Joan Phillips of Council Bluffs, IA; 21 grandchildren; 40+ great grandchildren; many great-great grandchildren; and other relatives and friends.

Memorials are directed to the family.

Interment in the Oaklawn Cemetery.

Loess Hills Funeral Home of Carson in charge of arrangements.