- Date Of Birth: April 28, 1925
- Date Of Death: October 19, 2011
- State: Arizona
Loving and devoted wife of Howard Gotelli, dedicated mother of Sheryn Lockhart and Michael Gotelli, beloved grandmother to Jeff, Michael, Joseph, and Danielle Erwin, and to Shannon and Joseph Gotelli. She was a wonderful caring great-grandmother to Henry, Rosie, Shannon, and Bodhi Erwin, and a loving mother-in-law to Dee Stiles, Karel Yanicks and her daughter Ashley, and Jan Roberson and her daughter Nicole and grandsons Carson and Dillon.
Phyllis was beautiful, gracious, elegant, and generous in her charitable pursuits. She was a wonderful cook and baker as well as a skilled artist and craftswoman.
Phyllis grew up in Copperopolis spending her days exploring the foothills with her two dogs for company. Her childhood adventures included riding wild horses, catching snakes and lizards, and reading poetry on the roof of her childhood home. She attended high school in San Francisco where she met and fell in love with her future husband, Howard Gotelli. After high school she enrolled in charm school (as her father refused to indulge her first choice, flight school) and quickly rose to the top of her class, becoming an instructor. She then had a successful modeling career before marrying Howard and becoming a loving mother to Sheryn and Michael.
She and Howard lived on the peninsula before eventually settling in Alameda.
Phyllis was an avid collector of miniatures, dollhouses, and fine Victorian antiques. She had an artistic eye and her passion was designing, building, and decorating dollhouses. She was a member of many clubs and organizations, Mini-Holics being her fondest. She made many lifelong friends following her passions, and treasured the time she spent with all of them greatly.
She loved all things Victorian and volunteered her time as a docent for the Alameda Museum as well as opening her cherished Queen Anne home for the Alameda Legacy Home Tour.
She will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by all who knew and loved her.
