Phyllis J. Edgar

Phyllis J. Edgar, 76, of Rock Falls died Wednesday, October 11, 2023, at MercyOne North Iowa Medical Center with her girls by her side, after a long battle with metastatic breast cancer and congestive heart failure. 

A memorial service will be held on Tuesday, October 17, 2023, at 10:30 a.m., at Old Stone Methodist Church, 1 W Jackson Street, Rock Falls with Pastor Beverly Butler officiating.

Inurnment will be held in Rock Falls Cemetery.

Visitation will be held on Monday, October 16, 2023, from 4-6 p.m., at Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 North Pennsylvania.

Memorials may be directed to the American Cancer Society or the family of Phyllis Edgar.  

Phyllis was born Phyllis Jeanne Barloon on July 14, 1947, in Mason City, the youngest daughter of Philip & Lucille (Koshatka) Barloon. She attended St. Joseph’s and Monroe schools, and then graduated from Mason City High School in 1965. On June 1, 1968, she married the love of her life, Harold Edgar, and together they raised two daughters, Lori and Danielle. Phyllis worked for many years for Iowa Kemper Insurance in the 70’s and 80’s where she made many friends. When she didn’t work for Kemper, she was home raising her girls. Throughout her marriage to Harold, they enjoyed fishing trips to Canada, going along with the many crazy entrepreneurial ideas that Harold came up with, and traveling the US. Any time spent with her husband or her kids was a happy time for her. Phyllis was creative – she could paint and had a steady hand, so for almost 10 years, she and Harold traveled the United States selling their handmade crafts. When that journey ended, she used her creative energy in the floral department at HyVee East, making beautiful bouquets and arrangements. In 2001, she & Harold opened LD’s Filling Station, a bar & grill that was Harold’s dream, but became her pride & joy as she worked alongside her husband, taking over entirely in 2011 when Harold passed away, and then eventually handing the keys to her daughter, when she retired the business to Lori in 2014. 

She was a comfort food expert; she made many of her meals for her family from scratch; including some of her families’ favorites of chicken and homemade noodles, Harold’s favorite chocolate chip cookies, Christmas cookies and candies, and her infamous “party potatoes.” Phyllis especially loved shopping (retail therapy, she called it), morning coffee with her sister Elaine & friend Don at LD’s, trips to Diamond Jo Casino, her cat Sammi, watching her grandchildren grow, and most of all, spending time with her family all together. When she was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in 2020, and then eventually heart failure, she took each day with one foot in front of the other and was grateful for the time she had with those she loved the most. 

Phyllis is survived by her daughters, Lori (Jerry) Schade of Mason City, and Danielle (Matt) Pace of Rock Falls; grandsons Brandyn Schade (Jamie) and Owen Pace; granddaughters Lindsey Schade (fiancé Colbie), Shelbey Schade (Blaine Holzerland), and Charlee Pace; great-granddaughters Paramour & RaeLynn Johnson; sisters Elaine Berding (Don Willier), Lillian Yegge; brother-in-law Mike (Robin) Edgar; sister-in-law Jackie (David) Edgar Person; and many nieces, nephews, and friends made along the way.

She is preceded in death by her husband of what would have been 55 years, Harold Edgar; her beloved kitties Tilly & Cash, her parents; sisters Madonna Bunker, Mary Barloon, Sister Dorothy Ann Barloon; brother Charles “Chuck” Barloon, sister-in-law Bonnie (Edgar) Jennings, brother-in-law Larry Berding Sr, mother and father-in-law Doris & David Edgar.