Winn Phillips, age 91, passed away at 7:00 pm on Easter Evening at the New Glarus Home. She was born August 30, 1923 in the small town of Proserpine on the northeast coast of Queensland, Australia. Her parents moved south to the city of Brisbane when she was very young; her two sisters were born there. Her parents opened up a shop and sold groceries and other household items. Her grandparents had come from Ireland.
Winn's dad did odd jobs and her Mum was a nurse. She and her sisters Ruby and Myrtle went to a State School in their early years. She was fond of saying that they each had one pair of shoes that they saved to wear to school and church. The rest of the time all the kids in the neighborhood went barefoot. The weather was always warm. The school required uniforms, which her Mum made along with all of their clothes. She would stay up until all hours of the night, sewing by candlelight. Her dad grew all the vegetables.
After Catholic school Winn attended secretarial school in Brisbane for two years.
On February 19, 1942, Australia was attacked by the Japanese. She remembered the day very well because it was her sister Ruby's 18th birthday. After that, air raid shelters sprang up and everyone went to work in war-related jobs. Winn worked in a factory making uniforms, putting sleeves on uniforms, passing them down the line to whatever else needed to be done to them.
But how they danced on the weekends. The school buildings hosted local bands. Naturally the American soldiers wanted to know about entertainment in the area. There were lots of guys to dance with. The Americans were very popular with the Aussie girls, and the girls taught them all the Aussie dances.
The Japanese attacked a number of the islands, and the Americans were soon bringing the wounded to the hospitals in Brisbane. Her Mum was one of the nurses that helped with the wounded when they were taken from the plane to the ambulances. She met many of the Americans from the troop carrier squadron that flew in and out. She called them "her boys". One of them was Ralph Phillips - nicknamed "Phil" - who Winn met at one of the dances. He was an engineer on one of the transport planes that flew back and forth to the islands. About a month before Phil had to go back to the States they became engaged. They were married in a small wedding, with just family and the crew of the C47. It was 20 months before the ships could bring the wives to America.
Winn came to the U.S. with 750 war brides on the troop ship, The Lurline. It was sixteen days sailing from Brisbane to San Francisco. Phil met her in Chicago and drove them to Monroe.
After the war, Phil started an appliance store in Monroe with an army buddy, Ken Smith. It was a farming town and both guys had grown up on farms, so they were comfortable with the kind of people they found there. They rented a small store just south of the town square.
They lived in an apartment above the appliance store. The years after the war were good years and Winn had many friends, who she has now rejoined: Rosa Buholzer, Ev Kubly, June Miller, Sally Urban, MaryAnn Haberman, Belle Elliot, and many others. Pain has been replaced by a liberating spiritual lightness.
Winn was preceded in death by her parents, Eileen and Lawrence McMahon, her husband Ralph Oliver ("Phil") Phillips, and sisters Ruby and Myrtle.
She is survived by sons Larry (Pam) Phillips, Ralph (Sharon) Phillips, Gary Phillips; and daughters: Vicki Phillips, and Shan (Bob) Leatherman, and granddaughters: Mary Phillips (Mike Muckler); Erin (Jason) Daskam; Brittany (Lyle) Terhar; Chelsey Leatherman (Robert Ehrhardt), and grandsons: Matt (Kristine) Phillips, David McCary, Scott McCary, and Tyler Leatherman, as well as 8 great-grandchildren and many Australian cousins.
Many thanks are owed to Friedensheim, and to the Monroe Hospital, the New Glarus Home, and the nurses and CNA's who cared for Winn, and to Joyce Etheridge and staff. She had a special friend, Jackie Smith, at Friedensheim.
Friends may call from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, April 10 at the Shriner-Hager-Gohlke funeral home. A celebration of life will be held at 4 pm. at the funeral home with Reverend Tiff Bates. Burial will be at Greenwood Cemetery at a later date.
Memorials in Winn's memory may be directed to the YMCA or the Alzheimer's Association in Winn's memory.
Finally, from the Aussie cousins... Peter O'Leary writes ... "Aunty Winn has gone to join with her sisters Ruby and Myrtle - God has his hands full now. Love and condolences from us all."
Winn's dad did odd jobs and her Mum was a nurse. She and her sisters Ruby and Myrtle went to a State School in their early years. She was fond of saying that they each had one pair of shoes that they saved to wear to school and church. The rest of the time all the kids in the neighborhood went barefoot. The weather was always warm. The school required uniforms, which her Mum made along with all of their clothes. She would stay up until all hours of the night, sewing by candlelight. Her dad grew all the vegetables.
After Catholic school Winn attended secretarial school in Brisbane for two years.
On February 19, 1942, Australia was attacked by the Japanese. She remembered the day very well because it was her sister Ruby's 18th birthday. After that, air raid shelters sprang up and everyone went to work in war-related jobs. Winn worked in a factory making uniforms, putting sleeves on uniforms, passing them down the line to whatever else needed to be done to them.
But how they danced on the weekends. The school buildings hosted local bands. Naturally the American soldiers wanted to know about entertainment in the area. There were lots of guys to dance with. The Americans were very popular with the Aussie girls, and the girls taught them all the Aussie dances.
The Japanese attacked a number of the islands, and the Americans were soon bringing the wounded to the hospitals in Brisbane. Her Mum was one of the nurses that helped with the wounded when they were taken from the plane to the ambulances. She met many of the Americans from the troop carrier squadron that flew in and out. She called them "her boys". One of them was Ralph Phillips - nicknamed "Phil" - who Winn met at one of the dances. He was an engineer on one of the transport planes that flew back and forth to the islands. About a month before Phil had to go back to the States they became engaged. They were married in a small wedding, with just family and the crew of the C47. It was 20 months before the ships could bring the wives to America.
Winn came to the U.S. with 750 war brides on the troop ship, The Lurline. It was sixteen days sailing from Brisbane to San Francisco. Phil met her in Chicago and drove them to Monroe.
After the war, Phil started an appliance store in Monroe with an army buddy, Ken Smith. It was a farming town and both guys had grown up on farms, so they were comfortable with the kind of people they found there. They rented a small store just south of the town square.
They lived in an apartment above the appliance store. The years after the war were good years and Winn had many friends, who she has now rejoined: Rosa Buholzer, Ev Kubly, June Miller, Sally Urban, MaryAnn Haberman, Belle Elliot, and many others. Pain has been replaced by a liberating spiritual lightness.
Winn was preceded in death by her parents, Eileen and Lawrence McMahon, her husband Ralph Oliver ("Phil") Phillips, and sisters Ruby and Myrtle.
She is survived by sons Larry (Pam) Phillips, Ralph (Sharon) Phillips, Gary Phillips; and daughters: Vicki Phillips, and Shan (Bob) Leatherman, and granddaughters: Mary Phillips (Mike Muckler); Erin (Jason) Daskam; Brittany (Lyle) Terhar; Chelsey Leatherman (Robert Ehrhardt), and grandsons: Matt (Kristine) Phillips, David McCary, Scott McCary, and Tyler Leatherman, as well as 8 great-grandchildren and many Australian cousins.
Many thanks are owed to Friedensheim, and to the Monroe Hospital, the New Glarus Home, and the nurses and CNA's who cared for Winn, and to Joyce Etheridge and staff. She had a special friend, Jackie Smith, at Friedensheim.
Friends may call from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, April 10 at the Shriner-Hager-Gohlke funeral home. A celebration of life will be held at 4 pm. at the funeral home with Reverend Tiff Bates. Burial will be at Greenwood Cemetery at a later date.
Memorials in Winn's memory may be directed to the YMCA or the Alzheimer's Association in Winn's memory.
Finally, from the Aussie cousins... Peter O'Leary writes ... "Aunty Winn has gone to join with her sisters Ruby and Myrtle - God has his hands full now. Love and condolences from us all."