Phyllis Marie (Windy) Strand was born on October 25, 1934, in Atkinson, Illinois, to Julius and Mary Margaret (Roush) Windy. She spent her early years in Atkinson, Mineral, and Moline, Illinois. She attended Sacred Heart Junior High, Moline and graduated from Alleman Catholic High School in 1952, where she was active in speech, theatre, student government and voted “Typical Alleman Girl.”
While in high school, she met a handsome young basketball player from Black Hawk College named Richard Strand, and thus began their lifelong love affair of 67 years. They were married in Salinas, California, on August 2, 1953, and spent the first two years of their marriage in Munich, Germany, where Dick was stationed while in the Army, and their first daughter, JoBeth, was born. Phyllis cherished her time and memories while living in Germany, and called it the adventure of her lifetime.
On their return to Moline, Illinois, they added three additional daughters to their family – Jill, Jacqueline, and Jennifer. Eventually, they moved to Galva, Illinois, to farm, and in 1966 purchased their farm on Saxon Road, rural Toulon. There they farmed, raised hogs, and Angus cattle. They were very involved in WHS during the 1970’s - active members of the infamous “Booster Bunch,” all parents of WHS athletes and cheerleaders. Phyllis was known for years for her “Cheerleader Brownies” at WHS.
Phyllis loved being a farm wife and working side by side with Dick. She enjoyed hauling in corn during harvest and visiting the farm wives at the Galva Co-Op. She was an active member of the En Bon Traine Club of Saxon for over 40 years and enjoyed working on their cookbooks. Phyllis enjoyed gardening, working in her flowers, embroidery, baking, and bird watching. She was an avid reader and loved to discuss books with her girls. Phyllis attended many sporting events for her grandchildren and great grandchildren, which she loved. She followed Duke Basketball for years and years. Phyllis helped her four daughters with their numerous 4-H projects along with being a Camp Fire Girl Leader when they were young. Her favorite thing to do was shopping with her girls and stopping for coffee and a treat.
The Catholic faith was a lifelong comfort and strength to Phyllis. She was Catechism teacher at St. John Catholic Church in Galva, Illinois in the 1960’s. After moving to Saxon, the family became members of the St. John Paul II Parish. Phyllis was an active member of the Altar and Rosary Society.
Phyllis was preceded in death by her spouse, Richard, who is welcoming her into the Kingdom of Heaven with open arms and jubilation that they are finally together again. She is survived by her four daughters-JoBeth Crist (Jim), Jill Fincham (Rob), Jacqueline Boelens (John), and Jennifer Strand (Craig Glover). She is also survived by four granddaughters, four grandsons, and sixteen great grandchildren. She is also survived by two brothers, Ronald Windy and Michael Johnson.
If you had the great joy of knowing Dick and Phyllis, you knew you were witnessing one of the world’s greatest love stories. Please know they so cherished your friendship and loved spending time with all of you.
Phyllis will be so missed by her family and friends. As we deeply mourn her loss, we are greatly comforted that she is reunited with that handsome Swede again. Family was her most treasured possession. At the end of every conversation, she always closed with, “I love you,” one of the many lessons she taught her family, which we continue on with our families.
Visitation will be from 10:00 – 11:30 am, Friday, December 29, 2023, at Golnick-Schueneman Funeral Home. Rosary service will be at 11:30 am, Friday, December 29, 2023, at the funeral home. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 12:30 pm, Friday, December 29, 2023, at St. John Paul II Parish. Fr. Ghislain Inai, SMA will officiate. Burial will be in Mount Olivet Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorials be directed to the Alleman High School Theatre Department, Rock Island, Illinois, in honor of Phyllis Strand. Please leave an online condolence for Phyllis’ family at www.golnickschuenemanfh.com.
To share a memory or send a condolence gift, please visit the Official Obituary of Phyllis M. Strand hosted by Golnick-Schueneman Funeral Home.
Phyllis Marie (Windy) Strand was born on October 25, 1934, in Atkinson, Illinois, to Julius and Mary Margaret (Roush) Windy. She spent her early years in Atkinson, Mineral, and Moline, Illinois. She attended Sacred Heart Junior High, Moline and graduated from Alleman Catholic High School in 1952, where she was active in speech, theatre, student government and voted “Typical Alleman Girl.”
While in high school, she met a handsome young basketball player from Black Hawk College named Richard Strand, and thus began their lifelong love affair of 67 years. They were married in Salinas, California, on August 2, 1953, and spent the first two years of their marriage in Munich, Germany, where Dick was stationed while in the Army, and their first daughter, JoBeth, was born. Phyllis cherished her time and memories while living in Germany, and called it the adventure of her lifetime.
On their return to Moline, Illinois, they added three additional daughters to their family – Jill, Jacqueline, and Jennifer. Eventually, they moved to Galva, Illinois, to farm, and in 1966 purchased their farm on Saxon Road, rural Toulon. There they farmed, raised hogs, and Angus cattle. They were very involved in WHS during the 1970’s - active members of the infamous “Booster Bunch,” all parents of WHS athletes and cheerleaders. Phyllis was known for years for her “Cheerleader Brownies” at WHS.
Phyllis loved being a farm wife and working side by side with Dick. She enjoyed hauling in corn during harvest and visiting the farm wives at the Galva Co-Op. She was an active member of the En Bon Traine Club of Saxon for over 40 years and enjoyed working on their cookbooks. Phyllis enjoyed gardening, working in her flowers, embroidery, baking, and bird watching. She was an avid reader and loved to discuss books with her girls. Phyllis attended many sporting events for her grandchildren and great grandchildren, which she loved. She followed Duke Basketball for years and years. Phyllis helped her four daughters with their numerous 4-H projects along with being a Camp Fire Girl Leader when they were young. Her favorite thing to do was shopping with her girls and stopping for coffee and a treat.
The Catholic faith was a lifelong comfort and strength to Phyllis. She was Catechism teacher at St. John Catholic Church in Galva, Illinois in the 1960’s. After moving to Saxon, the family became members of the St. John Paul II Parish. Phyllis was an active member of the Altar and Rosary Society.
Phyllis was preceded in death by her spouse, Richard, who is welcoming her into the Kingdom of Heaven with open arms and jubilation that they are finally together again. She is survived by her four daughters-JoBeth Crist (Jim), Jill Fincham (Rob), Jacqueline Boelens (John), and Jennifer Strand (Craig Glover). She is also survived by four granddaughters, four grandsons, and sixteen great grandchildren. She is also survived by two brothers, Ronald Windy and Michael Johnson.
If you had the great joy of knowing Dick and Phyllis, you knew you were witnessing one of the world’s greatest love stories. Please know they so cherished your friendship and loved spending time with all of you.
Phyllis will be so missed by her family and friends. As we deeply mourn her loss, we are greatly comforted that she is reunited with that handsome Swede again. Family was her most treasured possession. At the end of every conversation, she always closed with, “I love you,” one of the many lessons she taught her family, which we continue on with our families.
Visitation will be from 10:00 – 11:30 am, Friday, December 29, 2023, at Golnick-Schueneman Funeral Home. Rosary service will be at 11:30 am, Friday, December 29, 2023, at the funeral home. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 12:30 pm, Friday, December 29, 2023, at St. John Paul II Parish. Fr. Ghislain Inai, SMA will officiate. Burial will be in Mount Olivet Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorials be directed to the Alleman High School Theatre Department, Rock Island, Illinois, in honor of Phyllis Strand. Please leave an online condolence for Phyllis’ family at www.golnickschuenemanfh.com.
To share a memory or send a condolence gift, please visit the Official Obituary of Phyllis M. Strand hosted by Golnick-Schueneman Funeral Home.
