- Date Of Birth: February 15, 1924
- Date Of Death: June 10, 2016
- State: Idaho
Phyllis May Hezeltine Houtz, 92, passed away on June 10, 2016. Phyllis was born to Elsie Smith and Walter Hezeltine on February 15, 1924 in Emmett, Idaho. Phyllis, the third of seven children spent her life in the New Plymouth area and Emmett where her father was a jeweler. She attended school in Emmett and graduated from Emmett High School in 1941.
On January 7, 1943, Phyllis married George Reginald (Reggie) Houtz and moved to Fuller Island to begin her married life. The only access to the island at that time was via a swinging bridge which saw lots of travel as all the furniture, household items and farm supplies had to be carried over it. Access became easier when a road and bridge were built in the late 1940’s. Phyllis was a helpmate on the 156 acre farm milking cows, raising turkeys, beef cattle and sheep.
In the next twelve years, 6 children joined the mix…Carole, Clinton, Gary, twins Sharon and Karen, and Suzan. Family was extremely important to Phyllis as demonstrated by caring for numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews. She always accepted people as they were.
Phyllis loved to write and tell stories and spent many hours writing poetry and making up stories for her grandchildren. She was also very interested in genealogy and history and spent hours compiling the history of the family, of Fuller Island and other various Emmett landmarks. When she wasn’t writing, Phyllis was searching for the perfect rocks to paint animals on which were given as gifts to her grandchildren.
Her sense of humor and dry wit were special gifts that she shared with all.
Phyllis was honored as the Gem County Mother of the Year and was recognized in 2011 by the Gem County Farm Bureau as a “Gem of Gem County”.
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