Bernice R. "Toots" Phillis

Bernice R. “Toots” Phillis, 90, of Cherry Valley, passed away on Sunday morning, October 26, 2025 at Concordia of Bridgeville.

She was born on April 28, 1935 in Burgettstown, daughter of the late Vincent and Jane Petroski Sworchek.

A 1953 graduate of the Union High School in Burgettstown, Mrs. Phillis worked at the Maryann Theater and was a buyer at GC Murphy 5&10 in Burgettstown where she often met with Bobby Vinton as he peddled his records locally.Mrs. Phillis met the love of her life Harry Glenn “Howdy” Phillis at a square dance at the Frankfort Grange. They married on April 17, 1960 in the former Hillcrest Presbyterian Church in Burgettstown. They shared 55 years of marriage before he passed away on February 25, 2015.During their lifetime together, they enjoyed their family, country and gospel music, dancing, traveling, and working together on their farm. 

Mrs. Phillis enjoyed many hobbies including gardening, crocheting gifts for others, and baking, making every holiday and event special with her numerous cookies and her fabulous pies. One of her favorite pastimes was to sit on her front porch chatting with family and friends while listening to her wind chimes and watching the hummingbirds at their feeders which she faithfully filled. She also enjoyed making fall trips to Amish Country in Ohio with her daughter Jana.

Mrs. Phillis was also a nanny for several area children including her two special “grandchildren” Alex Thorne and Danielle Thorne Phelps.

She was an avid sports fan, especially the Pittsburgh sports teams but her real sports passion was baseball and the Pittsburgh Pirates. Her favorite words in the dull of the wintertime after Christmas was to hear “pitchers and catchers report”.

Mrs. Phillis was a member of the former Hillcrest Presbyterian Church, where she was active in the Women’s Auxiliary. After the closing of Hillcrest Church, she became a member of the Paris Presbyterian Church. She also served her community by working with her husband at the Burgettstown Food Bank for more than 20 years and serving as a poll worker in Smith Township.

Bernice is survived by her daughter Jana Grimm and husband Bob of South Fayette Twp.; two sons, Scott Phillis and wife, the late Cynthia of Mingo Junction, OH and Dan Phillis and wife Romain of Burgettstown; three grandchildren Michael Dean Phillis (Rachelle), Cassandra Lynn Myers (Dylan) and Jacob Scott Phillis; great grandchildren, Adler and Elsie Myers, her sister, Sandy Moore of Englewood Florida; and many cousins, nieces and nephews.

Deceased in addition to her parents and husband are her son Ronald Glenn Phillis who died on July 18, 1981 and a sister, Phyllis Fischer.

Family and friends will be received from 12:00-4:00 p.m. on Sunday November 2, 2025 in Slater Funeral & Cremation Services, Inc. of Burgettstown, 73 Highland Avenue, Burgettstown, PA 15021 where services officiated by the Rev. Nadia Stropich will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday November 3, 2025. She will be laid to rest with her husband in the National Cemetery of the Alleghenies, Bridgeville.

The family wants to give special thanks to her goddaughter/niece, Roxanne Moskal who provided loving care to her, the caregivers at Concordia of Bridgeville and Bridges Hospice and the other angels/caregivers who loved and supported her and us throughout her brave and courageous journey.

Those wishing to remember Mrs. Phillis in a special way can make a memorial donation in her honor to: The Ronald G. Phillis Memorial Fund c/o Dickinson College, P.O. Box 1773, Carlisle, PA 17013 and/or Paris Presbyterian Church, 127 Steubenville Pike, Burgettstown, PA 15021 and/or Burgettstown Senior Citizens Meals on Wheels Program, 200 Senior Way, Burgettstown, PA 15021 and/or Bridges Hospice, 4130 Monroeville Boulevard, Monroeville, PA 15146.