Phyl Coburn
May 26, 1923 ~ July 9, 2016
Mary Philomena 'Phyl' Coburn, 93, of Solon, formerly of Leesburg, Florida, passed away Saturday, July 9, 2016, at Solon Care Center, Solon, Iowa. Per her request, there will be no services. Stewart Baxter Funeral & Memorial Services, Mount Vernon, is caring for Phyl's family.
Survivors include her loving husband of 70 years, Fred Coburn; daughters, Susan (Moti) Weinberg, Laura Coburn, and Janice (Scott) Moeller; four grandchildren; one great-grandchild; sister, Katharine V. Brooks; and several nieces and nephews.
Phyl was born May 26, 1923, in Haulbowline, Cobh, Ireland, to Thomas and Emily (Denham) Harris. She was later adopted by Helena and Michael Collins. She married her beloved husband, Frederick 'Fred' Warren Coburn on July 13, 1946, in New York. They later moved to Miami, Florida, when at age 50, she returned to College to earn her Associate's degree. She was a homemaker, mother, then an Executive Legal Secretary at Mershon Sawyer Johnston Dunwoody and Cole until she retired. After moving from Miami to Leesburg in 1993, she became a member of several quilting guilds and was an award winning quilt-maker with the Quilting Sisters of Lake County, Florida.
She was a gentle, intelligent, and extremely clever person with a wonderful sense of humor. She was a nature and bird lover, but was especially dedicated to her cherished family who were everything to her.
She was preceded in death by her parents; adoptive parents; sisters, Maureen Ryan and Sister Patricia Harris and brothers, Gerard and Robert Harris.
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Mom passed peacefully in her sleep on Saturday, July 9th and had a small gathering of family and close friends at her funeral who knew her since she came to Iowa. Laura read her obituary to everyone, Susan read a poem and shared a few familiar anecdotes and family stories that reminded us all of who she was, and Janice said some words about an experience coming full circle. She will be missed by all who knew her.
Do not stand at my grave and weep.
I am not there; I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow.
I am the diamond glints on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain.
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning’s hush
I am the swift uplighting rush
of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft start that shines at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry.
I am not there; I did not die.
–Mary Elizabeth Frye
Mom would understand if you were sad, but she would not want you to be sad long. She was always more about life. She was social, always among people, always wanting her family around. She had the instinct of her great paternal grandmother, Catherine Cotter whose gravestone reads, “Remain United”. Mom loved nature, being a lifelong member of the National Audubon Society, following the appearances of the ibis and herons in her Florida home, including naming them, most particularly, George. She was distraught when she once accidentally crushed a lizard ‘friend’ in her shower door. She had a great sense of humor, particularly for practical jokes. She started a tradition of gifting a present at Christmas of a small lizard skeleton; no one knew who was going to get the present that year. Even after she suffered her stroke she was known to send Dad to the kitchen to fetch something for her and while he was away, stole the cookie off his plate or took a few sips of his wine. Even when he got too serious in his uncomplaining and dedicated care for her, she would stick out her ‘good leg’ to trip him as he went by. Remember her for who she was. Be gentle and funny with who remains, She’d love that.
Sue
Mom was a sly wit, so much so that at times, literal me would miss her humor. Once, she wanted to know what the slang expression “I’m down with that” meant. I explained. OK, she said, “I’m done with that.”
I remember going to your house after Hurricane Donna when we had no electricity but your block did. My mom was sewing my eldest sisters wardrobe for college! We were so grateful for your mom and her hospitality to help us after the hurricane. She was wonderful and raised a wonderful family!! Love hugs and my deepest condolences at this difficult time.
Thank you so much for your memory of Mom, Kate. I didn’t remember that time.
Obit for Mom for the NY and FLA papers where she has many family and friends:
Mary Philomena “Phyl” Coburn, 93, formerly of Miami and Leesburg, Fl., passed away Saturday, July 9, 2016 peacefully in her sleep. As she wished, there will be no service.
Phyl was born in Haulbowline, Cobh, Ireland on May 26, 1923 to Thomas Harris and Emily T. Denham Harris, emigrating to the US as a child with family Michael and Helena Collins, where Phyl grew up in New York with her loving sister Mary Ellen “Maureen” Collins Ryan. She attended secretarial school, worked, married and became a mother. Later, in Florida, she enrolled in college, completing an A.A. degree and returned to work as a legal secretary with Mershon, Sawyer, Johnston, Dunwoody and Cole until she retired.
She is survived by Frederick Warren Coburn, her beloved husband of 70 years, and their daughters Susan Weinberg and husband Mordechai of Panama City, Panama, Laura Coburn of Miami, Fl., Janice Moeller and husband Scott of Anamosa, IA; her grandchildren Sydney and Jacquelyn Weinberg, Michael L. Stoddard II, and wife, Charlene Stoddard, great grandson Dominik Stoddard, Shannon Stoddard; her eldest sister Katherine Vivienne Harris Brooks of Sydney, Australia, niece Maureen Ryan Mimnaugh and extended family.
Phyl was a devoted wife and mother, an active member of her community’s Social Club, an award-winning member of the Quilting Sisters of Lake County. She enjoyed traveling and camping with Fred, visiting many national parks and taking trips to Europe with her daughters.
In lieu of flowers, please share memories or tributes online at Stewartbaxter.com or cards to Coburn Family at P.O. Box 204, Anamosa, Iowa 52205.
The Coburn family wishes to express its deepest appreciation to the Solon Nursing Care Center in Iowa, Derek and Tami Sanders, and the James Howard family.
Condolences to the Coburn family. Our thoughts and prayers go out to your whole family. Psalms 147:3 says God, “heals the broken hearted, and binds up their wounds.” May God bring you comfort and peace.