Obituary of Phyllis Ann Mulholland

Mulholland, Phyllis "Mrs. Phyl" Slagle Midland MI (formerly of AuSable Lake, Hale MI & Corpus Christi TX) Phyllis “Mrs. Phyl”, age 91, went home to her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on March 14, 2021. She was born in Saginaw, Michigan on October 28, 1929 to the late Stewart and Irma (Eckert) Pharis. Phyllis was born the day before the stock market crash of the Great Depression in 1929 and was the beloved youngest child of four. Perhaps it was the harshness of the time that helped her develop her long-lasting love of life and the ability to always find the good in others and in everything around her. She developed a strong relationship with her Lord and Savior at an early age, and was often found walking by herself to attend the Warren Avenue Presbyterian Church, where she learned and loved to sing Hymns of Praise, and where she later married her high school sweetheart Jim. Every Sunday you would find the whole family at Jefferson Avenue Methodist Church where Phyllis would bless others by sharing her angelic voice. She was particularly known for her beautiful voice singing O Holy Night during the Christmas Eve Candlelight service. In addition to her love of God and music, she also enjoyed the water and took a job at Anderson’s Swimming pool as a lifeguard. She would take her children to work with her, and she soon developed into an awesome Aquatic Director at the YWCA, where the hundreds of babies she taught to swim, gave her the treasured nickname “Mrs. Phyl”. She collaborated with the University of Indiana and wrote a book (which she passed down to all generations) illustrating her 123 method of teaching babies to swim. She and Jim retired to AuSable Lake in the summer and to Corpus Christi TX in the winter. She was an avid card player, playing in a Bridge Club throughout her 80’s, and even winning games of Euchre and Cribbage when playing with her children until the last weeks of her life. She also became an active member of the First Methodist Church in Corpus Christi, performing many Broadway by the Bay musicals. After the death of her first husband Jim, she found another love in Bob Slagle. They would share a few joyous years together both in Texas and at the lake. After Bob’s death, she moved to Midland to be near her children. Her death has left a legacy of goodness and joy with those whom she met. Wherever she went, it was with a gracious smile and an attitude of “Trust in God and enjoy life”. She leaves behind her daughter, Jane Williams of Midland MI; 2 sons, James (Melanie) Mulholland Jr. of St. Pete Beach FL, and Thomas Mulholland of Midland MI; 14 grandchildren, Brian (Nicole) Anderson of Burbank CA, Harley Anderson of Jacksonville FL, Sara Anderson of Raleigh NC, Kristy Anderson of Wilmington NC, Joey Anderson of Wilmington NC, Jennifer (Jameson) Bole of Midland MI, Alison (Nick) Innerebner of Sault Ste Marie MI, Hilarie Alwine of Iron Mountain MI, John (Danielle) Williams of Livonia MI, James (Crystal) Mulholland of Farmington NY, Kelly (Alex) Ward of Holt MI, Jana (Eric) Heimann of Tiburon CA, TJ (Stacy) Mulholland of Essexville MI, Marisa (Anthony) Colacion of Yorba Linda CA; 36 great-grandchildren, Liam Anderson, Haleigh and Brianna Anderson, Micheal Debose, Notre Brown, Emil Drayton, Kiara Bryant, Keandre and Kevin Bostic, Kahleah, James and Jahmear Richardson, Micheal and Cayden Williams, Jacob and Tyler Bole, Andrew, Laura & Julie Innerebner, Callie and Adeline Alwine, Kevin Williams, Grace and Mattie Mulholland, Kenadi, Camille and Sawyer Klumpp, Quinn Phillips, Ava Ward, Caleb and Adelyn Heimann, Sidonie, Tavish, and Rory Mulholland, Anthony and Clayton Colacion; 5 great-great-grandchildren, Ava Brown, Milliana Drayton, Hysire and Amina Bryant and Ahleyah Richardson; step-daughters, Bonnie (John) Slagle Griffith of Boerne TX, Patricia (John) Larow of Spring Branch TX; she was predeceased by her sisters, Virginia Dvorak and Adeline Snapp; a brother, Herbert Pharis; her husbands, James Mulholland Sr. and Robert Slagle; and her daughter, Sue Anderson. A graveside service will be held Friday, April 9, 2021 at 1:00 P.M. at the Vassar Riverside Cemetery with Revered Allen Bole officiating. To sign online guestbook, visit www.cremationsocietymidmi.com Arrangements made with the Cremation Society of Mid-Michigan.