Aug. 4, 1925 - Jul. 20, 2017
Date of Service: Aug. 5, 2017
PAUL - Phyllis Hanchett, a longtime resident of Minidoka County, died July 20, 2017, in Ogden, Utah.
Phyllis was born Aug. 4, 1925, in Sherwood, Ore., to Mabel and Don Snyder. She was their only child. Phyllis moved to Tulelake, Calif., in junior high school when her father drew a homestead. As a freshman at Tulelake High School, she met the handsome senior who would become her husband for more than 50 years, Aurel Hanchett. After graduating from high school, Aurel enlisted in the United States Marines and fought in World War II until he was severely wounded in the battle of Okinawa. Phyllis completed high school in Tulelake and attended college at the University of Nevada for three years until her Marine returned from the war. They were married June 16, 1946, in Tulelake.
Aurel farmed with his step-father near Tulelake for several years, but always wanted the opportunity to farm on his own. In 1952, Phyllis and Aurel “farmsteaded” in eastern Montana. Their mailing address, Zero, MT, was an apt description – no telephones, mail delivery, or local schools and their first winter, living in an aluminum trailer, temperatures dropped to 40 below zero. While Aurel built their home and ran the farming/ranching enterprise, Phyllis lobbied the state legislature for mail delivery and telephone service. By the time they moved, three years later, they had both. Phyllis’s tenacity improved the lives of her family and those around her, regardless of where she lived.
In 1956, they drew a homestead in the Minidoka Project where they lived for the next 58 years. They, and hundreds of other families, developed farms and a community grew. These families had children who needed classrooms and teachers. Phyllis became a second grade teacher at Paul Elementary. Each summer she drove round trip to Pocatello to complete her bachelor’s degree at Idaho State University, went on to complete her master’s degree, and only stopped when she was within a few courses of finishing a doctoral degree. After teaching second grade for five years, Phyllis moved to Minico High School where she taught English, Creative Writing, Speech, and occasionally Greek Mythology. In all, Phyllis taught in Minidoka County Schools 37 years.
As an English teacher, Phyllis was committed to preparing her students with the knowledge of proper English in both speaking and writing. She sought to impart solid skills so that her students would never be disadvantaged because of poor use of the English language. To that end, Phyllis was a guardian of grammar – gently reminding her students, children and husband. Phyllis was known for her encouragement of students who did not believe higher education was an option in their future. She promoted junior college, helped students with their applications, and assisted in finding scholarship opportunities. Her students often returned to thank her after graduating from college.
In addition to being a dedicated educator, Phyllis was active in her community, developing lifelong friendships with other homesteading families. She was a member of the 57 Desert Dozen, Eastern Star, and the Burley First Presbyterian Church. For years she wrote the newsletter for the Tulelake High School class reunion.
Phyllis was preceded in death by her husband, Aurel. She is survived by her two children, Carol Lay-Abramovitz (Michael) of Denver, Colo., and Keith Hanchett (Kathy) of Ogden, Utah; four grandchildren, Chase and Conner Hanchett, Ali Abramovitz, and Jonathan Lay (Cecelia); and great-granddaughter, Carmen.
The family would like to thank Mountain Ridge Assisted Living and Memory Care Center for the kindness and care shown to our mother while she resided there. They would also like to extend a very special thank you to Comfort Hospice for end-of-life care.
Phyllis Hanchett’s final contribution was donation of her brain to the Gift of Life program, Center for Alzheimer’s Care, Imaging and Research at the University of Utah.
The family suggests memorials be directed to the Alzheimer’s Association or the University of Utah’s Gift to Life research program. Contributions can be made online or mailed to: University of Utah Alzheimer’s Center, 650 Komas Dr. #106-A, Salt Lake City, UT 84108-1225 or Alzheimer’s Association, Attn: Donor Services, 6126 W. State St. Suite 305, Boise, ID 83703.
A Celebration of Life will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 5, at Rasmussen Funeral Home, 1350 E. 16th St., in Burley. A reception will follow immediately after at the Burley Inn, 800 N. Overland Ave., in Burley.
