Obituaries

Ida Maillet
B: 1929-08-13
D: 2024-03-22
View Details
Maillet, Ida
Beverly Hiatt
B: 1937-11-19
D: 2024-03-18
View Details
Hiatt, Beverly
Judy Feret
B: 1953-12-06
D: 2024-03-05
View Details
Feret, Judy
Ruth Murray
D: 2024-03-01
View Details
Murray, Ruth
Jerome Winters
D: 2024-02-25
View Details
Winters, Jerome
Michael O'Hara
B: 1941-09-08
D: 2024-02-25
View Details
O'Hara, Michael
Richard Hutchings
D: 2024-02-23
View Details
Hutchings, Richard
Daniel Kleckowski
B: 1935-04-01
D: 2024-02-23
View Details
Kleckowski, Daniel
James Little
D: 2024-02-23
View Details
Little, James
Deborah Dolan
B: 1935-11-24
D: 2024-02-22
View Details
Dolan, Deborah
Harry Wagner
B: 1941-02-06
D: 2024-02-21
View Details
Wagner, Harry
Helen Walsh
B: 1926-04-17
D: 2024-02-14
View Details
Walsh, Helen
Sally Meinweiser
B: 1929-09-04
D: 2024-02-10
View Details
Meinweiser, Sally
Violeta Cruz
B: 1930-08-23
D: 2024-02-06
View Details
Cruz, Violeta
Gloria Rose
B: 1936-01-26
D: 2024-02-05
View Details
Rose, Gloria
Robert Moretta
D: 2024-02-05
View Details
Moretta, Robert
Abigail Stecewicz
D: 2024-02-05
View Details
Stecewicz, Abigail
Joan Taylor
B: 1962-11-27
D: 2024-02-02
View Details
Taylor, Joan
Ann Bremner
D: 2024-01-29
View Details
Bremner, Ann
Harry Ryan
D: 2024-01-29
View Details
Ryan, Harry
Russell Lamb
D: 2024-01-28
View Details
Lamb, Russell

Search

Use the form above to find your loved one. You can search using the name of your loved one, or any family name for current or past services entrusted to our firm.

Click here to view all obituaries
Search Obituaries
880 Hopmeadow Street
P.O. Box 335
Simsbury, CT 06070
Phone: 860-658-7613
Fax: 860-651-0476
Henrietta Phyllis Johnson
Memorial Candle Tribute From
Vincent Funeral Home
"We are honored to provide this Book of Memories to the family."
View full message >>>

Obituary for Henrietta Phyllis Beckenbach Johnson

Henrietta Phyllis Beckenbach  Johnson
Henrietta Phyllis Beckenbach Johnson passed away after a long, valiant struggle with Alzheimer’s this past Tuesday, September 11, 2012 at the age of 88 at the Avon Health Care Center in Avon, CT. She was born on March 27, 1924 in Youngstown, OH to the late Gertrude and Judge Henry Beckenbach. Her late husband of 62 years, William “Bill” LeRoy Johnson, was with her at the Avon Health Care Center for two years. Phyllis was a woman of many talents and interests, and she knew what she wanted in life, beginning with her first day of kindergarten when she proclaimed her name to be Phyllis instead of Henrietta. Nurtured by the love and support of her close and creative family, Phyllis’ artistic talents flourished. She loved to sew, sing, play piano, draw, paint, sculpt, do crafts, and was an avid reader. She loved dogs and the cartoon strip Peanuts, and even named her two dogs Lucy and Charlie Brown. She was in the Chi Omega sorority and graduated from Ohio State University. In early 1948, Phyllis met Bill at a boarding house in Cleveland, OH. They went ice-skating and fell in love right away; Bill bet her five dollars that they would get married. Phyllis was smitten, and after a whirlwind courtship, they were married on July 10th of that same year. She paid Bill five dollars on their wedding day. Even after she married Bill and started a family, Phyllis’ appetite for the arts never wavered. While raising her three children, she would happily design their (prize-winning!) costumes for school and Halloween; create puppets, paper dolls/clothes, and dollhouses to play with; go shopping with her daughters and granddaughters; and even made both of her daughters’ wedding gowns. Once her children had grown and left to start families of their own, Phyllis continued to pursue her passion for the arts. While living in various towns throughout Connecticut—including Rowayton, New Canaan, and Danbury—she sang in the Norwalk Community Chorus and United Church of Rowayton Choir, took many classes at the Silvermine Arts Center in New Canaan, was an original member of the Rowayton Arts Center, and travelled around the world with her husband; bringing back many works of art including Indonesian marionettes, a custom Alaskan totem pole, and African masks. Always stylish and elegant, Phyllis’ artistic talents, interests, and traits—from her love of sewing to her great sense of style and naturally red hair—have been taught and passed down to many of her children and grandchildren. The closeness and happiness Phyllis experienced growing up with her family has also been carried on as the three succeeding generations of Beckenbach women (now 16 strong and living all across the country) have regular reunions where they talk, shop, and eat, and continue to keep in touch. Phyllis Beckenbach Johnson was a loving, supportive, exemplary mother and grandmother whose ability to balance her family life and love of the arts created the foundation for an ever-expanding strong, talented family. Phyllis is survived by her younger sister, Carol Frye of Cincinnati, OH; her three devoted, loving children, Lynn and Mike Callahan of Simsbury, CT, Gretchen and Joe Bruno of Darien, CT, and Terri Nordone and Flip Johnson of Brookline, MA; eight adoring grandchildren, Meghan and Ryan Pugliese, Matthew and Mae Bruno, Caitlin and Patrick Ogle, Emily Bruno, Moira and Bill O’Brien, William Bruno, Sean Callahan, and Duncan Johnson; great-grandson Henry Pugliese; many caring nieces and nephews; and her dear, long-time friend Susie Sulla of Norwalk, CT. She has left a legacy of love and will always be remembered. Phyllis is preceded in death by her older sister Betty Hansen, younger brother Henry Beckenbach, and granddaughter Tara Phyllis Callahan. A special thank you to Dorrie, Jacob, and the kind, devoted staff at the Avon Health Care Center for the wonderful assistance and comfort they provided Phyllis. Thank you all from the bottom of our hearts. The family is holding a private memorial. Donations may be made in Phyllis’ honor to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (http://www.alzfdn.org/). Vincent Funeral Home of Simsbury is caring for the arrangements. Please visit Phyllis’ “Book of Memories” at www.vincenfuneralhome.com for online condolences.
Order Flowers

Recently Shared Condolences

Recently Shared Stories

Recently Shared Photos