Phyllis Eileen Carpenter Noyes was born on April 30, 1915. She attended schools in Granada, Minn., with her many boy cousins, often riding her horse to school. She graduated from high school in 1933. Last year, Phyllis and another classmate shared the distinction of being the oldest living graduates.
She attended beauty school in Minneapolis and worked in Austin where she met Carl A. Noyes at the Turp Dance Hall. They danced to the big bands all over the Midwest and were married in 1937. After Carl served in the Navy, they bought a grocery store in Forest City, Iowa, in 1947; a dance hall (Richardson Pavilion) in Clayton, Wis.; a resort (Chik Wauk Lodge) in Grand Marais; and Tomteboda Motel in 1954. In their years together, they built three homes, managed a grocery store at Taconite Harbor, and lived at Devil Track Lake until Carl’s death in 1989 when Phyllis moved to the Grand Marais Condominiums.
Phyllis was an active member of First Congregational United Church of Christ, Eastern Star, Women’s Golf League, Grand Marais Garden Club and Lioness. She was a great storyteller and an avid Minnesota Twins fan. She enjoyed playing cards, fishing, crafting, cooking and entertaining, gardening, and providing fun and activities for her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Phyllis died on April 4, 2017, just over three weeks from her 102nd birthday, at the North Shore Care Center in Grand Marais, where she had resided for almost two years.
Phyllis is missed and loved by her daughters Sharon (John Henry) Eliasen and Carole (Stephen) Quaife; grandchildren Janis (Bud) Viren, Christy (Steven) Lindell, Karin (Moshe) Bronstein, Donn Eliasen, Geri Heston, Tom (Michelle) Quaife, and Laura Turnquist; great-grandchildren Matthew (Angel) Viren, Mia Lindell, Berit Lindell, Carlee Turnquist and Andrew Turnquist; and great-great-grandchildren Johnathan and Pierce Davis, Gunnar Viren, and Beck and Beau Turnquist; and many nieces and nephews including special nephew Bob (Marsha) Batchelor.
Phyllis was preceded in death by her parents, Hazel Wood Carpenter and Marion (Pat) Carpenter of Granada, Minn.; her husband of 53 years, Carl; sister Catherine Batchelor; grandson Robert Quaife; great-grandson Alex Turnquist; and an infant daughter.
Phyllis’s Celebration of Life will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 10 at First Congregational United Church of Christ in Grand Marais. The family requests memorial gifts be sent to the First Congregational United Church of Christ, or to Care Partners.
Phyllis’s family would like to thank Pastor Beth Benson, the wonderful staff at North Shore Care Center, Dr. Sandy Stover, Nora Bockovich and Diane Nowers for their caring attention.
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