Phyllis Jean Bich, age 93, of Cavour, SD, passed away on Friday, July 5, 2024 at Avantara Nursing Home in Huron, SD. Her Funeral Service will be at 10:30 AM on Friday, July 12 at Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church in Huron with burial at Trinity Lutheran Cemetery in Yale, South Dakota. Visitation, with her family present, will be at Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church from 5-7 PM on Thursday, July 11 with a prayer service to begin at 6:30 PM.

Phyllis' Funeral Service will be livestreamed and recorded on the church's website: https://www.mtcalvaryhuron.org/livestream

View Phyllis' Folder

Phyllis Jean Hornig was born on September 19,1930 in Huron, SD to Philip and Anna (Stahl) Hornig and grew up on a farm near Yale, SD. She walked two miles to the Connell Country Grade School through the eighth grade and graduated from Yale High School in 1948. She attended classes at Black Hills State College the summer after graduation, then completed her two-year teaching certification at Huron College. She taught at a country school in 1950-51.

On March 9, 1951 Phyllis was married to Lyman Bich of Cavour, SD. After Lyman returned from military service in 1953, they moved to the farm north of Cavour where she raised her family and lived out the rest of her life.

Phyllis was a natural homemaker and farm wife who raised six children and mastered the arts of cooking, baking, gardening, sewing, canning, growing flowers, raising chickens, and keeping a house in order. Her children and grandchildren have many fond memories of the porcelain squirrel cookie jar always being full of chocolate chip cookies and the smell of fresh bread and fried chicken in the kitchen. She also helped out on farm tasks such as sorting hogs (even while pregnant), but admittedly this was not her favorite activity. Phyllis had a way of making each child and grandchild feel as if they were very valuable and important to her.

Phyllis was baptized in 1930 and confirmed in 1944 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Yale, SD. She was an active member of LWML (Lutheran Women's Missionary League), taught Sunday School and Confirmation, and volunteered for countless church activities at Trinity and later at Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church. She made it a priority to pass on Biblical principles to her children and grandchildren and truly lived out her Christian faith.

Phyllis loved getting together and visiting with extended family and friends, caring for children and grandchildren, watching family members compete in sports and often playing a somewhat competitive game of cards.

Phyllis is survived by her husband Lyman of Cavour, SD, her children Sandy (Steve) Atteberry of Colome, SD, Gary (Beth) of New Holland, PA, Joel (Joni) of Reliance, SD, Laurie (Tim) Madsen of Ruthton, MN, Greg (Kristen) of Cavour, SD, son-in-law Steve (Jeannie) Snyder, 17 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren.

Phyllis is preceded in death by her parents Philip and Anna Hornig, her brothers Clinton Hornig, Eugene Hornig and Juraine Hornig, her daughter Jeannie Snyder, and her granddaughter Kelsey Atteberry.