Phyllis was born on Dec. 21, 1930, in Hamilton to Ore T. and Eva I. Boding. She had one older brother, Keith, one older sister, Joyce, and one younger sister, Colleen, all who preceded her in death.

Phyllis graduated from Hamilton High School in 1948 and had been Snow Queen, a baton twirler and cheerleader for the Hamilton Broncs. While in high school she worked at Snow Cap Creamery. She began work at ‘the telephone company’ in Hamilton on the same day as her senior picnic. On Sept. 9, 1949, she married Wesley H. Gander, of Corvallis. They moved to Missoula in 1955. She and Wes had three children, Ross Gander (Mary Ann), Colleen Mattson and Maureen Moya. She married Donald H. Peterson in 1973. She continued to work at the telephone company in Missoula, until 1982 when she took early retirement. After retirement, they split their time between Flathead Lake and Queen Valley, Arizona until moving to Ronan. After Don’s death in 2012, she moved to Missoula in 2015. Surviving children are Ross, Colleen and Maureen, plus Don’s daughters, Dawna (Geoff) Foote, all in Missoula, Dianne (Harry) Blazer of Las Vegas, Nevada and Elaine Peterson-Wold of Tacoma, Washington. She had 11 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. She will be laid to rest in Hamilton Cemetery with her parents and sister, Colleen. A memorial service will be scheduled later in 2021.