Phyllis Loraine (Martin) Comstock, 89, of Memphis, Missouri, formerly of Downing, Missouri, went home to be with her sweet Jesus and her sweetheart, Junior, on Sunday, January 17, 2021 at Scotland County Care Center in Memphis, Missouri, after contracting COVID-19.
The daughter of Minor Franklin and Beulah Ruth (Eiffert) Martin, she was born on March 3, 1931 at her grandfather Ed Martin’s home east of Sublette in Adair County, Missouri. Her sister, Bernidene LaRue (Martin) Billiet, was born one year later. She attended rural Sperry School and later rural Brushy School after the family moved to a farm south of Downing, Missouri, in Schuyler County. Phyllis attended Downing High School, graduating with the class of 1949.
On July 11, 1948 in Lancaster, Missouri, she was united in marriage to Tillman Comstock, Jr. They eventually purchased a farm in Scotland County northeast of Downing, Missouri. After losing their first child, Gary Lee, at birth, Phyllis and Junior raised three children on the farm, Cheryl Ann, Craig Alan, and Candace Lea. The family were members of the Downing Christian Church where Phyllis was active in Christian Women’s Auxiliary. Phyllis was a skilled homemaker, gardening and canning much of the family’s food and sewing many of their clothes. She loved tending her flowers and reading Louis L’Amour westerns. Phyllis enjoyed her years with the Chit Chat Club and the Red Hatters in Downing, Missouri. She and Junior were members of the National Farmers Organization (NFO). They loved to square dance, host pitch card parties and family gatherings, watch birds, deer hunt, and go camping and boating with friends at the lake. They enjoyed traveling to Oklahoma, to the mountains of Colorado, and to the Iowa State Fair. They especially loved spending time with their grandchildren.
Junior and Phyllis shared a deep abiding love for one another. She loved to hear him sing “You Are My Sunshine.” After Junior was paralyzed in a farm accident in 1985, Phyllis cared for him at home until he moved to Scotland County Care Center, Memphis, Missouri, in 2005. Junior passed away in 2008, shortly before their 60th wedding anniversary. In 2015, Phyllis moved to Scotland County Care Center, Memphis, Missouri.
Survivors include her children, Cheryl Eddleman and husband Mike of Kahoka, Missouri; Craig Comstock and wife Mary of Unionville, Missouri; and Candace Magruder and husband Kerry of Norman, Oklahoma. She is Grandma Sugar and Grandma Phyllis to 14 grandchildren: Shawn Erickson and wife Angela of Festus, Missouri; Nikki Worstell and husband Tommy of Blue Springs, Missouri; Laura Ussary and husband Brad of Kansas City, Missouri; Travis Eddleman of Olathe, Kansas; Clint Eddleman of Kahoka, Missouri; Kristi Eddleman of Kansas City, Missouri; Vanessa Whitaker and partner Dr. Shane Wilson of Memphis, Missouri; Jason Comstock and wife Irene of Jackson, Missouri; Andrew McCollom and wife KayLea of rural Unionville, Missouri; Matthew McCollom and wife Andrea of Kingwood, Texas; Jonathan McCollom and fiancé Kelly Foster of Roeland Park, Kansas; Rachel Folmar and husband Stephen of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Hannah Magruder of Kirksville, Missouri; Susanna Magruder of Norman, Oklahoma; as well as to 24 great grandchildren: Quincy and Schuler Erickson; Austin and Alyssa Schwent; Thomas, Jonathon, Timothy, and Hope Worstell; Brett and Seth Ussary and Lexi DeKraai-Ussary; Meadow, Carson, Payton, Mia, Avaya, and Aven Eddleman; Victoria and Clifford Whitaker; Kaitlyn Miller and husband Traven; Athena and Iris Comstock; Hudson and Porter McCollom; and two great great grandchildren Dennis and Ivy Miller. She is also survived by brother-in-law Charles Comstock and wife Ardis of Downing, Missouri; nieces, nephews, and other family members; and many good friends and neighbors.
Phyllis is preceded in death by her parents, Minor Martin on April 30, 1999 and Ruth Martin on April 5, 2005; her husband Junior Comstock on March 19, 2008; son Gary Lee Comstock; two premature infants; sister Bernidene Billiet and husband Gene; brother-in-law Derwood Comstock and wife Dorene; and grandson-in-law Dan DeKraai.
A Celebration of Life service will be scheduled at a later date when COVID restrictions permit. Online condolences may be expressed to the family by logging on to normanfh.com. Arrangements are under the direction of the Norman Funeral Home of Lancaster, Missouri.
