Phyllis Elaine Bos

76 years young

of Topinabee, MI

Went home to be with her Lord on Monday, October 26, 2009. She was born August 29, 1933, in Lansing, MI to Wendell and Rosellen (Weir) Blair and she married her high school sweetheart, Andrew Richard Bos, on September 15, 1951.

Phyllis was
a devoted daughter and sister
a faithful wife and delightful partner
a mother and grandmother of unconditional love and acceptance
a mentor and friend without judgment
but most of all a grace-filled follower of Christ.

Her life was marked by service to others:
she taught Sunday School for over 30 years;
she was a true Titus 2 woman, caring for older women in her youth and mentoring younger women in her later years;
and one of her greatest spiritual gifts was hospitality, as she opened her home and heart to so many people.

She was a gifted artist, a voracious reader, and a seasoned traveler.

Phyllis is survived by her beloved husband of 58 years, Dick, and her four children: Denise (Jim) Ackerman of Topinabee, Susan (Steve) Philip of Bath, Lisa (Kirk) Vallier of Caledonia, and Andy (Joyce) Bos of Jenison, nine grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren, and her brother Stu (Mary) Blair of Topinabee.

Phyllis was a long-time member of South Baptist Church in Lansing and more recently a member of Indian River Baptist Church. Visitation will be at Indian River Baptist Church on Thursday, November 5, 2009, from 6:00-8:00 PM. A memorial service will also be held in Lansing on Saturday, November 7th. Visitation at 11:00 AM, the service to follow at 12:00 PM at South Church, 5250 Cornerstone Dr, Pastor Don Denyes officiating. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be sent to Greater Europe Mission for the ministry of Jim and Carolyn Fasold (#15300). Donations can be made online at www.GEMission.org/donate or by mail to GEM USA, 18950 Base Camp Rd, Monument, CO 80132.

"It is not death to die, to leave this weary road,
And join the saints who dwell on high, who've found their home with God.
It is not death to close the eyes long dimmed by tears,
And wake in joy before Your throne, delivered from our fears."
Henri Malan

(Mom's obituary is also online at the Lansing State Journal, with an on-line guest book that will be open through the end of November.)


The Bos family, sans Sam Harlan, Liesl Philip and Olivia Ackerman.

From our last trip as a family, an Alaskan cruise in late July 2009.  It was Mom's 75th birthday present.

Mom (Phyllis) in front; Andy, Susan, Dad (Dick), Lisa and Denise

Denise and Mom

Her world travels, many of them chronicled along with ours on this site, pale in comparison with this, her final destination!  She crossed the oceans many times (Atlantic 27 times and the Pacific 4 times), but she only needed to cross the heavens one time.  Remember, for the Christian, to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.

Read this great hymn by an unknown author, published in 1799:

"The Christian's Hope Can Never Fail".

We travel through a barren land,
With dangers thick on every hand ;
But Jesus guides us through the vale;
The Christian's hope can never fail.

Huge sorrows meet us as we go,
And devils aim our overthrow;
But vile infernals can't prevail;
The Christian's hope shall never fail.

Sometimes we're tempted to despair
But Jesus makes us then his care;
Though numerous foes our souls assail,
The Christian's hope shall never fail.

We trust upon the sacred word -
The oath and promise of our Lord;
And safely through each tempest sail;
The Christian's hope shall never fail.

What great assurances that our hope in Christ is not hope as we usually use the word, but is actually a sure thing!  Of course, you could always read what Paul had to say on the subject.


Take me home!