Phyllis Jeanette (Sellars) Vanness

Phyllis (Sellars) VanNess, daughter of the late William E. and Erma Lois (Morgan) Johnson, was born July 21, 1947 in San Bernadino, California, and departed this life on April 12, 2017 at Mercy Hospital in Springfield, Missouri. She was 69 years, 9 months, and 5 days of age.

Phyllis grew up in Fontana, California and graduated from Fontana High School. She met Chuck Sellars in Fontana, and they were married on November 16, 1963. Two children were born to this union, Joseph and Terra. The family moved to Missouri in 1976. Phyllis later married Joe VanNess.

Phyllis was able to have a few different jobs during her life. She worked for GE in a flat iron factory early in her career, and later she worked in a nursing home as an LPN. She enjoyed working as a team driver with Chuck for a few years, and later became a nursing home administrator to finish her career.

Phyllis loved listening to Country Music. Her favorites were Conway Twitty and Elvis Presley. She also liked to cook and take care of her family. Phyllis was very interested in wildlife. She enjoyed watching an eagle camera that was always set to watch a certain eagle. She was able to watch the baby eagle being born and learning to fly.

Her family was very important to her. Phyllis enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren. They rode horses together, went shopping, and they loved to play games together, especially Yahtzee. She was a great inspiration to her family as she showed compassion to the people she served at the nursing home. She enjoyed Facebook and liked being able to keep up with her friends and grandchildren.

Phyllis was saved several years ago. She loved the Lord and was ready to go home. She mentioned many times that she was anxious to see her daughter, Terra, and her grandson, Jon.

Besides her parents, Phyllis was preceded in death by her daughter, Terra (Sellars) Miller, her grandson, Jonathan Sellars, and her brother, Steve.

She is survived by her son, Joseph Sellars of Norwood, Missouri, two granddaughters, Samantha Sellars and Nichole Sellars of Branson, Missouri, four sisters, Joyce, Roberta, Robin, and Janice, and many other relatives and special friends who will miss her dearly.