Obituary of Phyllis Ruth Regier

December 7, 1953 – Coaldale, Alberta

June 10, 2024 – Calgary, Alberta

Phyllis was born on December 7, 1953, in Coaldale, AB, where she spent most of her growing-up years in the company of her immediate and extended family. Although she lost her father when she was thirteen, Phyllis’ childhood was rich in special times with family and friends that were the basis of lifelong relationships.

Phyllis had multiple rewarding phases in her professional career. She was a successful and admired teacher, first in elementary school and then going on to what became her passion –– teaching ESL to new Canadians. She went on to bring that passion to supervisory and management roles with Bow Valley College, Mount Royal University, and the Calgary Board of Education. She relished the professional learning that came with completing her master’s degree. Her dedication to adult learning also had expression in her joining the Momentum board, including serving as board chair. Her dedication was recognized when she received the Life of Learning Award for her leadership in education.

She enjoyed living life fully and was always ready to have new experiences, including travelling to new destinations. The richness of her life included the experiences she had when living with Charles in California, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates, as well as going on many other memorable travels.

She got a lot of joy out of getting together with family and friends and was always ready for a social occasion. That included her love for entertaining company and cooking exceptional meals for them. The only criteria was that company could not be served the same menu twice, and she kept records to ensure this. She also loved going to new restaurants and would try anything on the menu.

She was uncompromising in her personal sense of style. She was forever on the search for another perfect pair of shoes, a scarf, or earrings to go with her signature black wardrobe. She loved music and from her twenties to her seventies, delighted in live music of various genres and in many settings.

Above all, she valued family. They were her first priority and she had a big heart for all her family – immediate, extended, and chosen. Phyllis made many wonderful memories with her husband and supporting cast member, Charles, her daughter Stephanie (Aman), and son Karm, mother Martha, sister Dorothy (George), and brother-in-law Henry, mother-in-law Susie, and brother-in-law Stan (Elsie), her many nieces, nephews, and friends; as well her sister Grace, and father Abram, who passed before her.

Phyllis was incredibly resilient and did not let Parkinson’s disease dampen her enthusiasm for life or her adventurous spirit. It felt like she had a lot of life left to live until she was struck by an undiagnosed neurological condition that rapidly took away her cognitive and speech abilities. She passed peacefully on Monday, June 10, 2024.

Charles, Karm, Stephanie, and Aman invite family and friends to come by to celebrate Phyllis’ life with them at The Lake House restaurant (747 Lake Bonavista Drive SE, beside the Lake Bonavista Promenade mall in Calgary) on Sunday, June 23, 2024, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. There will be tributes and a toast at 1:30 p.m., and canapés and hors d’oeuvres will be served.

Phyllis had high regard for Momentum, which works with people living on lower incomes and partners in our community to create a thriving local economy for all. If friends so desire, memorial tributes may be made directly to Momentum, https://momentum.org/donate.

Condolences, memories, and photos may be shared and viewed with Phyllis’ family here.