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W. Phyllis Ziegler

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phyllis-ziegler

July 6, 1921 - May 14, 2023

Our amazing mother lived to just short of her 102nd birthday. She was born July 6, 1921 in Los Angeles, California to parents Sarah Amati and Phillip Herrera. She passed in Berthoud, Colorado on May 14, 2023.  She was a bright star on this earth and will be laid to rest in Estes Park.

Phyllis is survived by a brother, Conrad Herrera and his wife Catherine Herrera; four children including Linda Sparling, Marlene Charles (Stephen Charles), Phillip Moon (Cindy Moon), Ben Ziegler (Tracey Luitjens); six grand children including Phillip, Nicholas, Tessa, Kristi, Josh, and Matthew; five great grand children including Claire, James, Silas, Caleb, and Alexis; cousins including Susan Florentine (Larry Florentine) and others.

Phyllis loved her family and extended family. She raised her children, assisted in raising grand children, and opened her home as a foster parent to Vietnamese refugee teens, welcoming them into their new country.

Phyllis loved music. She was a classically trained concert pianist, performance ready by sixteen. Her brother, Conrad, often says that she was the life of the party with everyone gathering around her at the piano.

Her second love was dance. She was an accomplished Spanish and flamenco dancer and also studied East Indian dance, touring Canada with a dance troupe.

Phyllis was a hard worker with seemingly tireless energy, and compassion. She served her community as a nurse in both hospital and nursing home settings, and as a private duty nurse. She loved her patients, whom she treated with great care and respect.

Phyllis loved all things in the natural environment, in particular the ocean and beach.