Phyllis H. Scattum

Phyllis Helen (Keen) Scattum left this earth on Thanksgiving Day, November 23, 2023. 

She had arrived in the home of Benedict and Elizabeth (Jaszewski) Keen on September 5, 1932, in the east side of Winona in the midst of the depression.  She attended Washington-Kosciusko Elementary school until the 8^th grade and then stayed home to care for her invalid mother.  She was unable to return to high school.  Despite that, she endeavored to improve herself through reading and her penmanship was elegant.  She started her working career as a dishwasher at the Winona hotel.  She worked briefly at Lake Center Switch Company where she met Eugene Edward Sobeck and they were married at St. Stanislaus Kostka in 1951. They had 4 children and later divorced.  In 1953, she worked as a factory worker at NECO Ordnance where she played on the women’s softball team.  She married Maynard Scattum in Nashua, Iowa in 1962.  In 1967 she started a 36-year housekeeping career at the College of St. Teresa Convent (Alverna Hall) working there until it closed in 1994, and then moving on to the Winona State University maintenance staff for the remaining 9 years before retiring at age 71. 

“You do what you have to do in life” was her comment in a Winona Daily News article in March 1995, which noted her history of social engagement and volunteer activities. She was a Cub Scout Leader in the early 1960’s and started donating blood, joining the 4-gallon club before having to stop for medical reasons.  For many years she delivered food commodities delivered meals on wheels to provide hot lunches to people in need.  She worked for 4 years in the clothing shop at Winona Volunteer Services, and helped in collecting for the American Red Cross, once visiting almost 200 homes in Homer herself when another volunteer couldn’t be found. She was a member of the Eagles Auxiliary since 1959, lifetime member of the American Legion and VFW Auxiliaries, planning and working in many fish, chicken and steak fries and selling poppies for Veterans.  Phyllis participated in activities such as handing out commodities with the Winona Volunteer Society and assisted at the election day polls for many years.  She loved to crochet and many a grandchild was baptized in her loving creations.  She loved to work with her daughter Rita in the Homer Wee Care Day Care providing grandmotherly care and love to many children.  She enjoyed spending time with family and socializing with her siblings and friends.  As one of her sons is fond of saying she taught us that our mission in life is to make others happy, and by making them happy we make ourselves happy.  And as Phyllis said “If I can help someone, I will”