Phyllis J. Shorts

Phyllis (Thomas) Shorts, age 90, passed away April 6, 2019 in Fort Myers, Florida. She was born in Grove City, PA May 15^th, 1928. The daughter of Arthur and Margaret (Cooper) Thomas, she graduated from Sharon High School in 1946 and was a recipient of a four-year scholarship to Youngstown University. She studied at Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University and Kent State University.

In 1948 she married William L. Shorts and they began their life of service in the funeral business in Ravenna in 1954. She was co-founder and secretary-treasurer and together they established homes in Ravenna and Streetsboro Ohio.

Phyllis was an active member of Grace Episcopal Church; a member of the alter guild, Episcopal Church Women, and various committees. She attended St. Hilary’s Episcopal Church in Fort Myers where she was an usher for years.

A past president of the American Legion Auxiliary 331 of Ravenna, Phyllis held a department of Ohio Chair and was a member of VFW#1055 Auxiliary. She was also past president of Rotary Anns and a Paul Harris fellow. A charter member of the Junior Thursday Literary Club, she served as first president. She was a member and past president of the Ravenna Visiting Nurse Association, a 73 year member of Ravenna, Ohio Eastern Star #46, and received the Grand Cross of Color for her work with the Rainbow Girls. She loved gardening and was an active member of the Iva Austin Garden Club. She was also a member of Business and Professional Women.

Phyllis vacationed at Seven Lakes, Florida and then, with her husband, became a snowbird before retiring here in 1999. She was Queen Mother of a Seven Lakes chapter of Red Hatters as well as a feature writer for the Seven Lakers Newspaper. She and her husband also played bridge and euchre and enjoyed dancing and socializing.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 68 years, William “Bill” Shorts and her brother Robert Thomas. She is survived by son Bill (Malia) of Fort Myers, daughters Judith Appleyard of Phoenix, Arizona, Susan (Dr. Harold) Putt of Oro Valley, Arizona, five grandchildren, two great-grandsons, and three step-great-grandchildren. Brothers Thomas L. (Betty) Thompson and Robert (Brownyn) Thompson of Florida also survive.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 on Friday, April 26, 2019 at St. Hilary’s Episcopal Church, 5011 McGregor Blvd. in Fort Myers. Following the service, please join the family in the Auditorium of Seven Lakes Retirement Community for a luncheon reception celebrating Phyllis’s life.

Memorials may be made to a charity of choice.

A private interment will be held at the memorial garden of Grace Episcopal Church in Ravenna, Ohio at a later date.

Mullins Memorial Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Fort Myers, is entrusted with final care.