Phyllis Blissell

January 2, 1922 – August 6, 2019

Phyllis was born at home in Manchester, NH, and grew up between there and Portsmouth, NH. She went on to study at the University of New Hampshire and earned a degree in Aeronautical/Aerospace Engineering with a Mathematics major along with a diploma from New York University for Aeronautics.

She was a pioneer as a woman in the field of aerospace, starting out at Chance Vought where both she and her husband, Walter, were employed. Boeing hired them both and moved them out to Seattle, WA, in 1948.

Phyllis quit working at Boeing to raise her five daughters. She loved and supported many PNW artists. Phyllis had a keen eye for beauty and craftsmanship, and this showed in her eclectic curated collections. She was always open to learning about new things and had a great group of friends.

She was preceded in death by husband Walter, sister Eleanor, and daughter Andrea and is survived by sister Thelma, daughters Sarah, Meg, Roberta, and Reba, 5 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren.

For a while after moving to Bainbridge Island, Phyllis joined the nighttime crew preparing the Bainbridge newspaper for delivery. On Saturday mornings, she could often be found making rounds to the various estate/yard sales around the island, and for many years, joined by like-minded friends, held a 4th of July yard sale of her own, enjoyed by many during the annual parade.

Her ashes will be interred at Washelli Memorial Gardens in Seattle.