Phyllis E. Fitzsimmons Cockfield
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Phyllis E. Cockfield passed away on May 2, 2022 after a courageous battle with Parkinson's Disease. She was born on January 10, 1932, in Janesville to Mortimer W. and Ruby (Egner) Fitzsimmons. She graduated from Janesville High School in 1950. After initially attending St. Olaf, she went on to graduate from the University of Wisconsin with a bachelor's degree in Spanish and Portuguese in 1954 and accepted a position at Parker Pen after graduation.
Phyllis married the love of her life David Owen Cockfield, on June 18, 1955 having known each other since their early days in Sunday school at First Lutheran Church. They moved to Seattle where Phyllis worked at Boeing Aviation. While David served as a Lieutenant in the Army, he and Phyllis moved to Colorado Springs and ultimately back to Janesville WI after David fulfilled his commitment to the Army. Phyllis was a dedicated Mother raising two children before she went back to work for the Janesville School District as a teacher's aide in special education. Phyllis was also active in the Janesville Literacy Council, YMCA board, Questers, the Janesville Public Library and served on the foundation board of First Lutheran Church among other community activities.
Phyllis is survived by her daughter Sandra (Johnson) and son Andrew. She is also survived by Grandson Christopher and his partner Heather Rambow. Phyllis also cherished her great grandchildren Brooklyn, Brayden, and Bailey Elaine, as well as four nieces and one nephew. In addition, the Cockfield family welcomed an exchange student from Austria, Johanna Leutgob into the family for a year. Phyllis and her beloved sister Delores Rohloff will always be farm girls at heart and own a parcel of land along the rock river which was a perpetual source of pride and great joy to Phyllis. The woods, river, wildlife-especially birds and the flora of the prairie were deeply sacred to both Dave and Phyllis and she practiced a lifetime of stewardship and conservation of natural resources as a result. Phyllis was also very fond of Elder Hostels/Road Scholar trips, sewing, knitting and needlepoint.
Phyllis was preceded in death by her parents, her loving husband David (May 6, 2002), and her brother-in-law Charles Rohloff.
A funeral service for Phyllis will be held at 12:30pm on Thursday, May 12, 2022 at First Lutheran Church, 612 N. Randall Avenue, Janesville WI. Visitation will begin at 10:30am until the time of service. Phyllis will be laid to rest next to her husband David at Oak Hill Cemetery. Please visit www.apfelwolfe.com to send condolences to the family. Memorials are appreciated to First Lutheran Church Foundation or The Janesville Literacy Council.