Phyllis Marie Enger

Phyllis (Ust) Enger passed away at Sanford Medical Center Mayville on January 11, 2017. Phyllis was born February 14, 1940, to Carl and Hazel (Ambroson) Ust. She grew up on the family farm rural Clifford, ND. She attended Edendale #2 through the eighth grade and then attended Portland High School, graduating in 1957. On October 16, 1957, she married her high school sweetheart, Dennis Enger. She was baptized, confirmed, and married at Perry Lutheran Church, rural Portland, ND. Phyllis worked at Union Hospital in Mayville, ND, as a nurses’ aide before moving to Oakland, California, in 1959. While living in California for 13 years, she was the head bookkeeper at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Northern California. She and Dennis returned to ND to raise their family. She was a stay at home mom, daycare provider, and Western Store business owner, prior to beginning her long career as the Business Manager at Mayville-Portland School, a position she held for 28 years. She was a member of Aurdal Lutheran Church. She was a past member and past president of the ND Business Managers Association, Town and Country Riders Saddle Club, and an associate member of the Vietnam Veterans Association, to name a few. She was many people’s favorite “Watkins Lady”. She was proud to be a Portland Pirate and May-Port Patriot. Phyllis enjoyed raising her girls, taking care of all sorts of animals on their farm, crafting, sewing, calligraphy, playing piano, and camping and volunteering at Medora, ND. She was the most proud of her grandchildren (who she said all look just like her, cute!). Phyllis is survived by her husband of 59 years, Dennis; daughters, Candy (Mitch) Lemer of Drake, ND; Cindy (Doug) Petersen of Mayville, ND; Chrystal Enger of Fargo, ND. Grandchildren: Levi, Hannah, and Mason Lemer; Miranda and Gunnar Petersen; Nicholi, Shawn, Alyssia Groves. Sister, Shirley (Bert) Holman; Sisters-in-law Fran Ust, Joy Ust-McLain; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, brothers Erwin Ust and Roger Ust, sister Helen Johnson, sister-in-law Beverly Ostenson, brother-in-law Eldred Enger. Visitation: Will be from 5–7 PM on Monday, January 16, 2017 with a 7:00 PM Public Prayer Service at the Luther Memorial Home Chapel in Mayville, ND and resumes one hour prior to the service at the church. Funeral Service: 10:30 AM Tuesday, January 17, 2017 at the Aurdal Lutheran Church in Portland, ND. Burial: Will be in the Little Forks Cemetery, rural Hatton, ND.