Services will be held June 30 at St Brigid Catholic Church in Grand Junction for Phyllis Lorraine Gannon, 98, of Rippey.
Mass will be celebrated by Fr Bill Scheiber. Lector will be Laurie Gannon; gift bearers will be Jackie Blanshan, Mary Swecker, Monica Tenorio and Jennifer Boston; altar servers will be Matthew Gannon and Paul Gannon; eucharistic minister will be Rick Gannon; and soloist will be Greg Carey, accompanied by Lois Last.
Casket bearers will be Nick Gannon, Mitch Blanshan, Gary Swecker, Aaron Kirschbaum, Luke Gannon, Ben Gannon and Jacob Boston. Interment will be at Mount Calvary Cemetery in Grand Junction.
Phyllis Lorraine Adamson Gannon was born November 23, 1926, to Edmund Gerald (Bud) Adamson and Ruby Marie Mefferd Adamson in Woodbine. She lived there until she was 13 years old. She and her parents then moved to a farm between Dawson and Jamaica. She received schooling until 6th grade in a one-room country school. In 1939, when they moved to Dawson and she went to town school for 7th and 8th grade. She then went to Jamaica High School, graduating in 1944. After high school, Phyllis went to Des Moines to get training to become a beautician. She worked as a beautician in Perry for one year and then opened her own shop in Jamaica where she worked until she married. She married Francis Eugene Gannon on April 20, 1949. They moved to a farm south of Grand Junction and lived a happy life. Eugene died in January, 1987. Phyllis continued to live on the farm until her death. She died June 25, 2025, at Greene County Medical Center at the age of 98.
Phyllis was mother to nine children, also raising two granddaughters, Becky and Sara. Her children are Rick Gannon (Laurie), John Gannon, Jackie Gannon Blanshan (Joe), Mary Gannon Swecker (Gerald), Kathy Gannon Kirschbaum (Doug), Mark Gannon (Jackie), Hugh Gannon (Denise), Monica Gannon Tenorio (Mike), and Jenny Gannon Boston (Reg). Phyllis had 32 grandchildren, 66 great-grandchildren, and seven great-great-grandchildren with 2 on the way. She is preceded in death by her husband Eugene, son John, daughter Kathy, sons-in-law Joe Blanshan and Doug Kirschbaum, grandson Gabe Swecker, and great-granddaughters Taylor Gannon and Tatum Blanshan.
Phyllis was a member of St. Brigid Catholic Church and was active in their Altar Society and taught 5th and 6th grade Religious Education for 35 years. She was a 4-H leader for 15 years and was inducted to the Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame. She served on the Greene County Extension Council for four years. She was named Greene County Mother of the Year in 1972. She dearly loved children. Her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren were the pride and joy of her life. Phyllis was a great cook, and no one ever left her table hungry. She loved to dance and is dancing with Eugene in heaven.
Memorials can be directed to the Grand Junction Fire and Rescue Unit and to Cemetery Fund Mount Calvary Cemetery via St. Joseph’s Church. Services were arranged by Slininger-Schroeder Funeral Home, Jefferson, Iowa.
