Phyllis Jean de Melker

Phyllis Jean de Melker, age 87 of Ashtabula, passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday, December 12, 2018 of a massive heart failure. Born to the late Gordon Burgwin and Mary Ellen Greene Burgwin on June 29, 1931, in Trumbull, Ohio, Jean grew up in the area where she was born, and attended Cork School and Geneva High School. A talented bowler, Jean was proud of her many trophies. Crossword puzzles were her daily exercise. She was also delighted in her first-place blue ribbons she won at the Grape Jamboree for her amazing zucchini bread and prized African Violets. Her passion for light houses resulted in a wonderful collection to display; and related to that passion she recently was able to fulfill a lifelong dream of living on the shores of Lake Erie. Jean’s late husband John served as a career soldier in the US Army, and as a result she was a devoted military spouse for over 20 years. Because of the high demands of her husbands Army career (to include his assignments in Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam, without his family), Jean always gave high priority to caring for her family. Due to her husbands military committments, Jean lived in a variety of locations both in the US and overseas….to include Germany, Colorado, Georgia, Ohio, Missouri, Louisiana, Ilinois, and Virginia. She was a wife for five decades, the mother of two, the grandmother of four, great grandmother of three, the sister of two and the Aunt of many beloved nieces and nephews. She is survived by her daughter: Lois de Melker Mayfield (and her husband, Sonny Mayfield) of Braidwood, IL; son: Charles de Melker (and his wife, Evelyn Cobden de Melker) of Havre de Grace, MD; grandchildren: Jonathan Mayfield, Jennifer Mayfield, Sven de Melker, and Saskia de Melker; and great grandchildren: Cooper, Marshall, and Donovan. She was preceded in death by her parents and her husband, John de Melker; brother: Don Burgwin and sister: Joan Burgwin Connors. A Celebration of Phyllis’s Life will be announced at a later date. The Behm Family Funeral Home, of Geneva is assisting the family with arrangements. Online obituary and guest book at www.behmfuneral.com