Posted on 04/23/2018
Phyllis A. Kummerow (Oct. 14, 1934 to April 6, 2018)
Phyllis Arlene Kummerow, 83, of Bainbridge Island died Friday April 6, 2018 at Harrison Medical Center, Bremerton, Washington, surrounded by her family. Born on October 14, 1934 in Waterloo, NY she was the daughter of the late Russell and Hazel (Johnson) Jones. After growing up in the Finger Lakes Region of New York State, Phyllis attended Mynderse Academy in Seneca Falls after which she studied nursing at both Syracuse University and St. Lukes Hospital in Utica, NY.
Phyllis would later join the United States Navy, where she would put her nursing education to the test, serving her country in several East Coast Naval Hospitals and also being stationed for 2 years in Taipei, Taiwan. Her service would later earn her the rank of Lt. Commander and award her the Naval Achievement Medal. She also served at Quantico, VA and Jamestown, VA during her Naval Career.
During her service time, Phyllis would achieve something else she hadn't planned and that was to meet the love of her life Ray while crossing the Pacific Ocean onboard a US Naval Ship. Ray Gilbert Kummerow was serving in Norfolk, VA while Phyllis was stationed at Bremerton Naval Hospital during their courtship and were married in Rockville, Maryland. The two were married for 50 years at the time of her passing.
In 1979, Phyllis and her family moved to Bainbridge Island where she was employed as a ward nurse at Messenger House along with raising her three children Phillip, Eric, and Grant and caring for her mother, Hazel, and mother-in-law, Ruth.
A founding member of the Navy Nurse Corps Association, Phyllis enjoyed volunteering at the Bainbridge Island Bargain Boutique for Seattle Children's Hospital. She was also an avid reader and enjoyed being part of book clubs, as well as many other activities with her dear friends. What she loved most however, was being a wife, mother, grandmother and Nurse.
Phyllis is survived by her loving husband Ray, her 3 sons, Phillip and wife Deborah, Eric, and Grant and wife Diane, along with her beloved grandchildren; Lindsay, Aidan, James, and Claire.
Services and interment will be private at the request of the family. Donations in her memory may be made to: Seattle Children's Hospital Commemorative Giving and Research Foundation PO Box 5371 Seattle WA. 98145-5005; Bainbridge Public Library at http://www.bainbridgepubliclibrary.org/make-a-donation.aspx; or Navy Nurse Corp Association PO Box 3289 Newport, RI 02840.
Arrangements are entrusted to Cook Family Funeral Home Bainbridge Island, WA.
Published in Kitsap Sun on Apr. 22, 2018