Phyllis Roberta (Blank) Miles was born in Detroit, Kansas the day after Christmas in 1929, the third child of Wanda Mae (Line) Blank and the first child of Joseph Louis Blank.

Shortly afterward, Joseph abandoned the family, leaving Wanda to raise her daughter and two sons, Paul and Darrell Friesner. Life was difficult under any circumstances during the Great Depression, but especially for a single mother raising three children. For all her youth, Phyllis lived with and was nurtured by her maternal grandparents.

Phyllis rose to the challenge of succeeding despite these circumstances. Gifted with intelligence and diligence, she graduated from Enterprise High School as Valedictorian in 1947 and was awarded a Full Scholarship to Kansas Wesleyan College. There she met the handsome Lewis G. Miles, Jr. and eventually found the courage to invite him to a Sadie Hawkins Day dance. They married on July 29, 1951 and were together 44 years, until Lewis’ passing September 3, 1995.

Their union produced two children, Ann Louise and Lawrence Edward (Larry). Ann preceded Phyllis in death on February 21, 2013.

From Ann and Larry, Phyllis was blessed with five grandchildren and six great grandchildren. The grandchildren are Lisa Ann (McKeever) Buhrman of Riverside, CA; Janice (Miles) Ibardaloza of Ypsilanti, MI; Michael Edward Miles of Livonia, MI, Jennifer Ann Miles of Salina, KS; and Christopher Edward Miles of Southfield, MI. Great-grandchildren are Baylee Renee Engelmeier, John Allen Miles, Jana Raielle Ibardaloza, Jane Rylee Ibardaloza, Vivian Grace Miles and Grayson Emory Miles.

Phyllis departed this life the morning of June 14, 2018 in her home, where she was lovingly cared for until her passing by Larry and his wife Josephine.

A memorial service will be held, 10:00am, Friday, June 22, 2018 at the Roselawn Heights Memorial Chapel, 1920 E. Crawford, Salina. Burial to take place in Roselawn Memorial Park.