Memorials: Newburg-Chester Congregational Church Phyllis Carlene McCulloch Emmert was born the daughter of Harold Everett and M. Lucille Bacon McCulloch on April 3, 1934 in Grinnell, Iowa. She graduated from Newburg High School with the class of 1952 and received a two year degree from Iowa State Teachers College in Cedar Falls, Iowa. She also attended Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa and taught in Ogden, Newton and Newburg respectively. On June 6, 1954, she was united in marriage to Marvin Eugene Emmert, the son of Lee Edward and Mary Elizabeth Allen Emmert at the Newburg Church. To this union were born their children, Kirk Eugene, Kimberly Ann, and Karla Lynn. The couple lived in San Francisco, California for ten months and then lived and farmed north of Grinnell in the Chester-Newburg area. Phyllis lived on the farm south of Newburg for 50 years from 1959 ' 2009. Phyllis was a longtime member of the Newburg-Chester Congregational Church, a member of the U-Go I-Go Federated Club, Newburg-Chester Women's Fellowship, Jasper County Farm Bureau, where she was the women's chairman for two years. She volunteered her time at Grinnell Regional Medical Center's gift shop and she loved reading, quilting, painting and playing bingo. Phyllis is survived by her children, Kirk Emmert, Kimberly (Chad) Adams, and Karla (Dean) Vanderleest, all of Grinnell; eight grandchildren; and six great grandchildren. She was 75 years of age and was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; and her sister, Norma Jean Sharp.