Obituary: Phyllis Ann (Thompson) Daleo

WAUNAKEE - Phyllis Ann (Thompson) Daleo, died Friday, May 5, 2006, at age 78. She grew up in Elroy. Moving to Madison she graduated from Madison Central High School. In 1946, she met the love of her life, Sam Daleo, a young sailor returning from World War II. They were married on June 14, 1947. They celebrated their 25th anniversary in Hawaii and their 50th anniversary with family and friends in Lake Delton. She was a member of St. Bernard's Catholic Church in Middleton. In addition to raising nine children, in the 1960s Phyllis was a waitress at Rennebohm's Drug Store and, according to some students at the time, was the best cook at Kromrey Middle School in Middleton. Her children were her pride and joy and she was much loved by them and her grandchildren, delighting them with her "tell-it-like-it-is" approach, her robust laugh, delicious meals and personal favorite, her walnut cake. She loved vegetable gardening, quilting, knitting, playing cards, nickel slots, Fanny Mae chocolates and square dancing where she was an officer for the Boots & Slippers Square Dance Club from 1975 to 1981. She is survived by her husband; three sons, Sam (Lynda) of Hurley, N.Y., Mark of Columbus, Ohio, Andrew (Jennifer) of Lee's Summit, Mo.; three daughters, Nancy Bailey (Jay) of Kiel, Wis., Sandra Sahagian (Gary) of Madison, and Jacqueline Daleo of Waunakee; a sister, Shirley (Thompson) Hyer of Elroy; daughters-in-law, Sharon Daleo of East Dubuque, Ill. and Rita Daleo of Waunakee; son-in-law, Keith Bay of Hartland; 19 grandchildren, Tanya Zeh, Theresa Daleo-Stock, Joseph, Matt, Paul, Marie, Katherine, Anthony, Nicholas, and Megan Daleo, Eric and Calvin Bailey, Kevin Bay, Sonya and Lisa Sahagian, Dustin and Ryan Resch, and Rebecca and Heather Reese; and five great-grandchildren, Brooklyn and Benjamin Zeh, Alexander, Rachael and Madisen Daleo. A sister, Alice Moseman; a brother, Melvin Patterson; two sons, Steven and Gary Daleo; a daughter, Kathleen Daleo-Bay; and a grandson, Michael Bay, preceded her in death. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated this Wednesday, May 10, 2006, at 10:30 a.m. at ST. BERNARD'S CATHOLIC CHURCH, in Middleton with Monsignor Douglas Dushack officiating. Burial will follow at Sunset Memory Gardens in Madison. Friends may call at CRESS FUNERAL HOME, 6021 University Ave., Madison from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m. on Tuesday and from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday at ST. BERNARD'S CATHOLIC CHURCH, 2015 Parmenter St., Middleton. Donations may be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, Grand Central Station, PO Box 4777, New York, N.Y. 10163 or St. Bernard's Catholic Church, Middleton. The family would like to thank the staff at the Waunakee Manor Nursing Home for the care provided to Phyllis. Cress Funeral & Cremation Service 6021 University Ave. (608) 238-8406


Originally published in the Wisconsin State Journal on May 8, 2006