Phyllis Ann Halker

Phyllis Ann (Taylor) Halker, loving wife, mother, grandmother, and sister, passed away Tuesday, January 17, 2023 in her home at the age of 75 with her family by her side.

Phyllis was born to Ira and Siblle Taylor on August 23, 1947 in Alger, Ohio, the seventh of their eight children. She married Robert Halker on February 21, 1970. Together they raised three children on the Halker Homestead.

Phyllis graduated from Bath High School in 1967 and from the Beauty Academy in 1969. After graduation she worked as a cosmetologist at one beauty salon in Lima, Ohio and two beauty salons in Columbus Grove, Ohio. She then became a nurse aide where she worked at the Hilty Memorial Home in Pandora, Ohio for several years before leaving to be a stay at home mom. When her children were all in school, she went back to work in various departments at Richland Manor in Beaverdam, Ohio, from which she retired to stay at home with her grandchildren.

Phyllis was a lifetime member of the VFW Post 9648 Auxiliary as well as St. Anthony’s Parish in Columbus Grove,

Family was everything to Phyllis, whether it be her husband, children, grandchildren, or siblings, she would do anything for any of them.  Phyllis enjoyed her many trips to Holmes County with her sisters where they enjoyed shopping and sightseeing during the day and pina coladas in the evening. She loved to read and her personal library was full of Amish books by her favorite authors. When not reading her Amish books she enjoyed reading books with her grandchildren, especially Little House on the Prairie. She enjoyed collecting Indian décor to remind her of her Cherokee roots. Phyllis also enjoyed collecting anything with cardinals and snowmen. She often had a cardinal land on her front porch or in the trees that she said was her family coming by for a visit.

Phyllis loved her grandchildren. The grandkids can tell many stories of baking cookies with grandma and their yearly Christmas sleepover. Bob and Phyl never missed a sporting event or fair show that their grandkids were attending, even if they had to split up and one attend one event while the other attended the other event.

Phyllis survived by her husband, Bob Halker, two sons, Lee Halker, Bob (Jodi) Halker, and daughter Casey (Bryan) Burkholder, grandchildren, Payton, Shep, and Emerson Halker and Levi, Haley, and Aubrey Burkholder. She is also survived by her brother Harold Taylor, and sisters Yvonne Startzman, Betty (Mike) Briggs, Sharon (Jim) McClain, and Carolyn Beemer.

She was preceded in death by her loving parents Sibble and Ira Taylor, her brothers Gene (Shirley) Collins and James Taylor (Linda Kennedy), brother in laws Larry Beemer, Dwaine Startzman and sister in law Louise Taylor.

Visitation will be Thursday, January 19, 2023 at Hartman Sons Funeral Home from 2-8 PM. Funeral Services will be Friday, January 20, 2023 at 11 AM at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church with Father David Ritchie officiating. Burial will be in St. Anthony’s Catholic Cemetery.

Memorial contributions can be made to Putnam County Homecare and Hospice in Phyllis's name.

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