Bloomingdale, MI, died Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2005 after a long struggle with congestive heart failure. Phyllis was born Feb. 9, 1923, in Cadillac, MI, the daughter of George Reed and Nellie (Galmore) Sherwood. She graduated from Clare High School and Western Michigan University, after which she was a teacher for many years in Allegan, MI. She was a lover of life, family, friends, laughter, fun and love. She was a life-long champion of the rights of women, the underprivileged and the common man. She was a teller of humorous stories, a bemused observer of the frailty of the human condition, able to lighten the load with her ability to laugh at it all. She was an optimistic, "glass is half full" type of person. She taught her children to do whatever they could to help others, to be honest and just and to have a sense of humor. She was non-judgmental, embracing the basic goodness deep inside us all. She believed in the value of a good education and was a trustee of Dollars for Scholars, an organization that sends children to college. She was truly bigger than life - an outstanding person. To know her was to love her; she made no enemies, only friends. She could touch you deeply, causing "precious tears" one moment, and bring you to joyous laughter the next. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her. She died peacefully at home, in her living room, looking out at the lake she loved, surrounded by family and friends, reminiscing about the good times of her life. A son, David Sprague, preceded her in death. She is survived by her loving husband Harold Wolbert of Bloomingdale; her adoring children Connie Horton of Bloomingdale, Lynne Sprague of Bloomingdale, Denny Sprague of Saugatuck, Jayne Ruffner and her husband Eric of Holland, Doug Wolbert and his wife Alice of Alabama; her grandchildren Tim Horton and his wife Melissa of Shelby, Samantha Sprague of Saugatuck, Daniel and Erica Ruffner of Holland; and her great grandson Forrest Horton of Shelby. She is also survived by her adopted children and grand children: Johnny "Goodboy" Holland and Cori Holland and family from Kalamazoo, Mark MacPherson of California, Carol Beth Horn of California, Christopher and Jodi Goll and family of California and Rise' Ann Vlieger of California. She also left behind dozens of friends and extended family. Two services will be held in her honor on Saturday Nov. 12th. One at 2 pm at the Masonic Lodge, M 40 south in Allegan, attended by the Ladies of the Order of the Eastern Star and The Rev. Dr. Annemarie Kidder of the First Presbyterian Church of Ann Arbor, MI. The second service will be a "Celebration of the Life of Phyllis Wolbert" dinner, held at 4 pm at the Presbyterian Church in Allegan, MI, at which there will be many pictures, a DVD presentation and a sharing of stories about her life while having a dinner. All who knew her are invited to attend either one or both of these events. If you like, you may send flowers to the Presbyterian church, or in lieu of flowers, she hoped you might send a donation in her honor to: "Dollars for Scholars", Box 68, Allegan, MI, 49010.