Phyllis Jean Koester

We are deeply saddened to share that Phyllis Jean Koester, 86, passed away peacefully at her home on June 18, 2026, surrounded by her loving family.

Born on July 18, 1939, in Scales Mound, Illinois, Phyllis was the daughter of Kenneth and Celia (Swift) Hickman. She grew up surrounded by the rolling hills of Jo Daviess County and her early years would shape the steady, hardworking, and creative spirit that would define her entire life. She graduated with the Scales Mound Class of 1957 and after high school worked for a short time at the Westwick Foundry in Galena and then for Colin Manufacturing in rural Scales Mound making phonograph needles.

On October 7, 1959, Phyllis married her high school sweetheart and love of her life, Myron Koester. They spent their first few years in Dixon, IL where Myron worked at the highway department, but the office is not the place for a farm boy so in 1962 they bought an 80 acre farm in Scales Mound. They worked the land there until 1970, when they purchased the farm they continue to call home in Massbach. Phyllis embraced her role as a farm wife and mother with grace and purpose, tending not only to the work of the farm but to the heart of the home.

She had a gift for creating beauty with her hands. Phyllis crocheted, embroidered and quilted with patience and artistry. She was our family's memory-keeper, documenting both monumental milestones and everyday moments through her photo albums, home movies and family tree scrapbooks. More than anything, she loved babysitting and crafting with her grandchildren when they were younger. Those creative afternoons were some of her happiest times, filled with love, laughter and precious memories.

Phyllis found joy in the simple beauties of life--sunshine, butterflies, rainbows, bird watching and her beloved cats. A devoted friend, she brightened the lives of others by sending handwritten greeting cards and cherished a remarkable 72-year friendship with her pen-pal, Donna, with whom she exchanged a lifetime of letters and gifts across the miles.

Phyllis loved good music, attending concerts with friends, and discovering unique treasures at local craft shows. She found happiness in yard work, tending to her vegetable and flower gardens, and she absolutely loved every second spent on her lawnmower. She was a fiercely loyal Chicago Cubs fan and a NASCAR follower who never missed a chance to cheer on Kevin Harvick. A sports fan at heart, her favorite evenings were spent side-by-side with her husband in their recliners, enjoying Häagen-Dazs ice cream and watching a good game on TV.

Phyllis was dearly loved and will be greatly missed by all who knew her. She is survived by her husband, Myron; children, Cindy (Bob) Brown, of Savanna, IL, Tim (Karen) Koester, of Elizabeth, IL, Becky Koester, of Freeport, IL, and Sandy May, of Freeport, IL; three grandchildren, five great-grandchildren; brother, Robert (Martha) Hickman, of Byron, IL, sister, Dorothy Hammer, of Scales Mound, IL, sister-in-law Mildred (Jim) Steffes of Elizabeth, IL, and sister-in-law Pearl McKee of Warren, IL She is preceded in death by her parents, Kenneth and Celia, her son, David (infant), her parents-in-law Lavern and Lucille Koester, and her son-in-law Michael May.

Phyllis’s wish was to be cremated and to have her ashes joined with Myron’s when the time comes. Because of this, we are not holding immediate services. Instead, we will plan a joyful celebration of their beautiful lives together later on when they are reunited.