Phyllis Odden

Dec. 11, 1921-Nov. 16, 2021

Phyllis Irene Odden, a

longtime resident of Rug-

by, passed away quietly in

her sleep on Nov. 16,

2021 in Searcy, Ark.,

three weeks short of her

100th birthday.

She was born on Dec.

11, 1921, in Rugby, ND to

Bertha (Leistikow) and

Arthur Ellingson. Her

mother died when Phyllis

was six months old, so

she was raised by her

aunt and grandmother.

After graduating Dickin-

son State College in North

Dakota, she became a

school teacher. Soon after,

she met her husband of 53

years, Irwin L. Odden. For

many years Phyllis served

as bookkeeper for his John

Deere dealership in Rug-

by. After retirement, the

couple moved to Fairfield

Bay, Ark., in the 1990s,

and later to Searcy, Ark.

Phyllis lived through

everything from a Dust

Bowl-Great Depression

childhood to beating Co-

vid last year (and a lot in

between). She, indeed,

was a survivor.

Phyllis was quite a vi-

brant and stylish charac-

ter. She was the consum-

mate hostess, but always

had fun at her own par-

ties. She was an insati-

able reader, an accom-

plished bridge champion

and a natural musical

talent. She was a big fan

of Christmas, and always

did it up right.

Phyllis was very active

in the Lutheran church,

both in Rugby and Fair-

field Bay. She loved bible

study, old-timey hymns

and potluck dinners.

Phyllis truly was

larger-than-life; no one ac-

tress has the range to play

her in the movie. She was

singular and will be very

missed and never re-

placed.

She was preceded in

death by her husband,

Irwin, daughter Karen

Ennis, and son Curtis Od-

den. She leaves a

daughter, Leslie Maglitta

of Cambridge, Mass.; a

son, Dwight Odden of

Glendale, Calif.; three

grandchildren and several

great grandchildren.

Private interment was

at Woodland Memorial

Park Cemetery in

Edgemont, Ark.