Phyllis Ann Sutula

Garrison Keillor in The Keillor Reader suggests that travel is a liberating art form where you shed your past, finding freedom in anonymity, but also notes the pull of roots, contrasting the "living wander away" with the "dead move in with us to stay".

Phyllis Ann Baker Sutula was born in Little Rock Arkansas on October 30, 1948, and died January 3, 2026. But those are just the basics, and our mom, wife, and grandmother was definitely not basic. She was full of zest and zeal for her children Jason and Kirstin (Chris Peterson), granddaughter Kyra Anne along with her husband Phil and dogs especially Angel and Daisy.

Phil provided the opportunities and experience we all appreciate, but mom made them come alive. When the family celebrated Christmas in Brownsville Texas, she brought lights to decorate the plastic palm tree and ensured presents were underneath the tree on Christmas morning. During Texan Christmases, mom loved bringing the family to midnight mass at the local Mexican la catedral until two in the morning to experience different cultures.

If there was a Badger vs. Bulldog game in Duluth, Phyllis acquired the tickets, booked the hotel, and made reservations at the Chinese Lantern. Kids would be at one table and adults at another, and we nearly took up a whole area in the restaurant. Those memories live on forever.

The Sutula family lived at times in Carbondale, Illinois, just outside of Washington DC, Phillips Wisconsin, Hayward Wisconsin, Jacksonville Arkansas, Phillips again, Duluth Minnesota, and Lake Nebagamon Wisconsin. We told mom that Nebagamon was the last move, but she recently was talking about another move to a condo in Duluth. She loved traveling and experiencing what the world and life had to offer.

Phyllis worked many jobs in all of these places, yet she really liked working at Central and East High Schools. After ending her time as treasurer at East, Phyllis started self-employment by collecting and selling antiques: first fishing tackle (with a little bit of assistance from Phil), then other oddities, and finally jewelry. In fact, she just ended her jewelry business this past October.

Jake, Dad, and I can honestly say that her greatest joy was her granddaughter, Kyra Anne. After April 1999, the rest of us were second class citizens in the family. Grandma was there for every milestone Kyra made from Benediction preschool graduation, to UW Madison graduation watching it live due to COVID. For Kyra “Grandma Daisy” was always there when needed or for fun adventures like a Disney cruise and joining in on European adventures.

Bowman's Beach in Blind Pass Sanibel was mom’s favorite place; she could do the “Sanibel Stoop” for hours. In addition, Phil and Phyllis traveled extensively on Garrison Keilor/Prairie Home Companion cruises (seven in all), in Hawaii, Key West, West Palm Beach and Singer Island Florida, and finally made winters home in Orange Beach Alabama. They even renewed their wedding vows in Orange Beach. Orange Beach was close enough to experience Mardi Gras a second time and when it wasn’t easy to go to NOLA anymore, Mardi Gras was in Orange Beach. As a snowbird, mom would get up almost every day to have coffee while looking at the ocean sometimes spotting dolphins), she’d go to water aerobics and then stop by her favorite consignment shop Resale Heaven where she was greeted as “Miss Phyllis” like “Norm” on Cheers.

Our mom, wife, and grandmother was not a basic broad; she was our world. She will be desperately missed and never forgotten. We are comforted by believing that she now is with her mother Irene, her bestie Barbie, and dogs Angel and Daisy.

In lieu of flowers, please wear a “fun” piece of jewelry, have a Southern Comfort Old Fashioned, and/or hug and tell your loved ones how much they mean to you because time together is so very precious and brief. And if you really want to give money, please consider a gift donation to Animal Allies as it would be a perfect honor for Phyllis Sutula.

A Celebration of Life will be held from 5 - 7 PM on Thursday, January 15th, 2026 at Dougherty Funeral Home, 600 E. 2nd St, Duluth, MN, 55805. A dedicated story sharing time is set for 6:30 PM.