Condolence: Dear Bernie, Bin and family -- though I never met Phyllis, I know that she was a loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend. I also know that she loved well and was well-loved by her family and friends.

My prayer is that your memories of her will always be happy ones and that you will continue to carry on her legacy of love and faith in the years and generations to come.

May GOD fill your hearts and minds with comfort, peace and joy st this time.

Love always - kim & Roger

Condolence: Dear Bernie, Brenda, Marcella, John, Sam and entire Bringhurst Family:
Linda and I offer you our heartfelt sympathy at the passing of your mom and grandmother. She loved the Lord, she loved you all and was loved by you all which is better than all the riches in the world. The Lord kindly answered your prayers to relieve her of her sufferings and give her rest. May the Lord pour His Spirit into your wounded hearts to comfort and heal your sorrows and cheer you with many sweet memories of your wonderful mom.

Thanks to your family for their generous contribution to honor the memory of your mom. Grace and Peace be multiplied to you all!

The Lord Jesus as the Firstborn Son of God, took on the duties for the entire family of man, even to the point of death. He acted as their representative, taking the lead to manage things for God. This role of the firstborn pervades many cultures today and we want to acknowledge how Bernie Bringhurst, firstborn son of Phyllis, took the lead to care for his mom, not out of duty or grudgingly, but lovingly on behalf of his entire family.

There was a wonderful coordination with all the family here lto visit Phyllis and bring her her favorite foods every day for over 2 years! This family clearly fulfilled God’s charge to us to “honor your mother,” which is the first commandment with a promise: that it may be well with you and that you may live long on the earth.” (Ephesians 6:2-3) So whether you were close by or far away, be at peace; you were well represented by your family and you can rest assured that Phyllis was well loved and cared for!

BRIEF HISTORY OF PHYLLIS
She was born Felicidad (Happiness) Javier in Batangas in the Phillipine Islands. Her Father’s name was Salvador Garcia Javier and her mother’s name was Marcela Mercado-Javier. She had five brothers and one sister. At 17 years old, Phyllis was fleeing for her life, her country was at war and she saw her dad killed by a Japanese bullet! She had to hide herself in the jungle and scavenge for food in order to stay alive! Imagine the courage she had to trust an American husband, leave her family, her relatives and her culture behind, and travel to a new country.

She met Bernard Bringhurst at her aunts restaurant. They married on April 20th 1947 at a Catholic cathedral in Batangas. In July, Bernie senior worked it out for Phyllis to ride the USS Aultman from Manilla to San Francisco with him. He was discharged from the army in August of that same year and they rode the bus cross country to Mobile Alabama. Bernie sr. was working at the Brookley Air Force Base in Mobile and transferred to Ladd Air Force Base in Fairbanks, Alaska October 30th of 1950. This is where Bernie jr. and Sam were born. Phyllis, Bernie, and Sam moved to Fairbanks in February of 1951. John and Marcella were born in Fairbanks.

In 1988, Phyllis left Alaska and drove with Richard and Mary Mcintosh down the Alcan Highway to Seattle to live with Bernie and Brenda and later moved with them to Bellingham where she eventually had her own apartment at Lincoln Square.

Phyllis was diagnosed with stage four cancer in November 2008 and she had her first stroke in the fall of 2005 which was caused by the colon cancer. She had her second stroke in the winter of 2006 and had to be moved into the Alderwood Convalescent Center, where she resided until her passing. After receiving the last rites from a priest and then prayers and singing in Tagalo from a Phillipino pastor and his wife, Phyllis died peacefully in her sleep on June 23, 2009 the very next day! This was an answer to the family’s prayers.


HOW OTHERS DESCRIBED PHYLLIS
Chad said she was wonderful and that ‘no one could have a grandmother better than ours because she gave us all she could.’ Chandra remembered her as ‘so generous. She would give someone anything she had. She was so friendly and everyone loved her. Her eyes lit up when she smiled. Being from the Phillipines made her so thankful for everything she had here.’ Marcella’s ‘favorite quality was her free spirit. She had a love of life and saw joy in everything.’ Jessica loved the way her grandmother ‘took great care to make everyone around her comfortable and her incredible sense of work ethic and steadfast integrity. She also saw ‘her beautiful spirit despite her own personal tradgedies and struggles. She modeled selflessness everyday and always put the needs and concerns of others above her own. Despite everying that she had been through, I never once heard her complain.’ Danyel said ‘grandma was so beautiful and loving.’ Marcella called her ‘an amazing courageous woman.’

PHYLLIS AND FOOD
Phyllis was in the restaurant business all her life. Her first job was at the Chinese Gardens restaurant. She worked at Pat & Mike’s Restaurant, managed a Safeway deli and a Dairy Queen until she was able to own her own restaurants one of which was called the Hamm Gardens. She used to leave a bag of food outside the Dairy Queen to make sure Bernie had enough to eat. She was an extremely hard worker and had a passion for cooking. Marcella mentioned that Phyllis was ‘an incredible cook, that her specialty was filipino food and she would feed anyone, at any hour of the day! Jessica remembered her devilled eggs and potato salad and how she danced the turkey carcass around the kitchen one thanksgiving. Chad remarked that Phyllis always had dinner ready, not tv dinners or ‘lazy food’, but meals that were made with love. He also remembered how when Phyllis owned her own restaruant, she would let the kids play in the back and gave them lots of candy and toys ‘making sure we enjoyed being children.’ Chandra loved that Phyllis was “constantly making you eat! And that ‘she would truly feed anyone!’

PHYLLIS AND CITIZENSHIP
Bernie told me how proud Phyllis was when she got her American citizenship and how she gloated over knowing all the State Capitals and the names of all the US presidents! She loved to drill Bernie to see if he could pass the test! Jessica also mentioned how proud Phyllis was to be a citizen of this country and how quick she was to remind us of our blessings should we forget what freedom we truly have! Chandra said ‘I am so thankful for a woman brave enough to leave her family and country to move to America and start a family. Without her bravery, we wouldn’t be here!’

PHYLLIS AND FAMILY
Phyllis has 4 children, 15 grandchildren and 17 great grandchildren! Everyone mentioned unanimously that her whole world was her family! Her love of her family was fierce and she was so proud of her four children. Danyel mentioned that she was so proud of her family and grandchildren. Marcella added how family was the most important thing in her life. She said ‘she would go to the ends of the earth to make sure everyone was ok!’ Chandra said ‘she loved her children and grandchildren so much; they were everything to her.’ Chad mentioned how Phyllis loved to sit with the photo albums and how ‘she would never let us forget our family and our memories.’ He also remembered how Phyllis ‘always made sure we were taken care of when our parents were busy trying to make a better life for all of us.’ In her later years, her only concern was how her family was doing. She attended every family function and holiday up until her stroke. She never asked for much. As long as her family was ok, she was ok. Danyel akcnowledged how Phyllis ‘brought so much rich culture and diversity to our family. I will always take great honor in being her grandaughter.’ Jessica saw Phyllis as the ‘link to our family history and heritage’ and said her grandmother told her privately ‘how important it was’ for Jessica to ‘value her parents and their hard work and love.’




PHYLLIS AND HOBBIES
Phyllis was an avid bowler. She loved decorating her front door. She was a Hula dancer and loved dancing and bingo! She could often be seen sporting a Hollywood star pose. Jessica mentioned her ‘stealth kung fu moves’ that she learned from ‘her bang bang shoot em up movies.’ Danyel mentioned that Phyllis loved elephants, lots of them and that she loved bright colors in her many home decorations and on her clothing. Chandra said how fun her grandma was; she taught her ‘how to play cards’, they watched “Wheel of Fortune’ together and shopped!

PHYLLIS AND MUSIC
Danyel remembered how much she loved listening to Phyllis play the piano. Marcella mentioned that ‘Phyllis played the piano by ear. She could listen to a song and then play it incredibly. She played like Liberachi with a lot of flair and drama.’ Phyllis loved music and when Bernie was a DJ, she use to call him up late at night to request that he play her favorite songs! We know this love for music got passed on to the whole family! Chad mentioned that ‘she would play the piano for us and teach us songs she knew.’ Marcella remembered that some of Phyllis’ favorite songs were “Romeo and Juliet’, ‘There’s A Time For Us’, ‘Feelings’ (which she pronounce “peelings”) and ‘I Left My Heart in San Francisco’. Bernie and Brenda mentioned ‘Autumn Leaves’ and ‘Everything is Beautiful’ among her favorites. Chandra recalled how Phyllis would break out singing ‘Oh so la mee oh’ and Chandra still isn’t sure if its a real song.

PHYLLIS AND FUNNY
Jessica recalled how much her grandmother hooted and hollard when she tasted a super sour gum ball and when she showed Phyllis an ultrasound of her first child, Phyllis asked if it was a picture of a bird!
Chandra remembered how she and Jessica got so silly and teased Phyllis until she got mad and started pinching them and mocking them. Chandra said her funniest memory of Phyllis was ‘when she would make silly faces at us.’ She remembers laughing and being silly with her grandma and loved how Phyllis would pronounce her name ‘shawn-duh-ruh’. Danyel remembers one of grandma’s classic phrases was ‘Eeew… ka-ka!’ Jessica recalls how Phyllis would blame her digestive gas on the dogs who had died and how her cod for using the rest room was: ‘I’m going to see my mother!’ Chad remembered how his grandmother would tell them the same silly jokes over and over again that made them all laugh together. Marcella said she and her mom joked around about guys a lot and that Phyllis wanted her to marry someone ‘goodlooking and with a lot of money!’ Marcella also related how if her mom wanted to talk to you, she would just call the police and have them come over and tell you to call her!

WHAT PHYLLIS GAVE HER FAMILY
Daneyl said she got Phyllis’ desire to ‘persevere and get tough in life no matter the circumstances.’ Chandra knows that she was ‘blessed with her nose’ as were her daughters and expressed how thankful for ‘the times she had with her and for her beautiful memories I will always have of her.’ Chad said she gave us guidance and discipline when we needed it.’ Jessica received ‘Grandma’s work ethic, learning to put love and pride into your work, whatever it is that you do… job, service to others, or in raising a family. It didn’t matter what you did but that you did your best.’ Marcella says she got her moms ‘free spirit, love of music, and love of dancing. She taught me to enjoy life and that being silly was okay, no matter who is watching.’

PHYLLIS AND SPIRITUALITY
Jessica remembered that one of the things she loved abouther grandma was ‘her faith in Jesus Christ.’ Chandra’s sweetest memory was that as she got older Phyllis ‘asked me often if I was reading my Bible and she always asked me if I loved God. She knew that was important and she knew that I shared a love for God that she did. Her faith was important to her. She knew that all good things came from God and that the bad things were to teach her to trust God more and lean on Him.’ Marcella noted that ‘her love of family and God was remarkable to me and makes me want to be a better Mother, daughter, sister, auntie, friend etc. I feel so blessed that I had her as a Mom and that so many of her traits were passed to me. I miss her so much my heart hurts, but I know she is watching over all of us from Heaven.’ Danyel said; ‘I know she was a woman who loved the Lord, and I have peace in my heart that she is well. The last couple of years were hard for her, yet she was able to continue to the end with a spirit of strength, love and humility.

JESSICA’S THANK OFFERING TO HONOR PHYLLIS’ MEMORY
‘I just like to say thank-you. Thank you for all that you did. Thank you for the small and the big. For never resting sot that you could insure we were all safe and happy and well fed. Thank you for surviving the worst moments in your life so that you could bring us some of the happiest moments of ours. Your sacrifices were so big but the love and legacy you leave us is even bigger and this family is forever grateful.

DANYEL’S PRAYER FOR THE FAMILY
Heavenly Father, how great is your love and faithfulness. Your mercy endures forever. Father, we thank you for Grandmother Phyllis, and for the time we spent with her. We trust You, Father, and know that Your ways are right and just. Lord, we have peace knowing that everything is in Your hands and take comfort in You as our Savior. And though we greive because we will miss our grandmother, and don't fully understand the truths of life and death, we ask in the Name of Jesus for Your will to be done, and ask that You will help us to be in agreement with Your will. Lord, our family needs you. We need Your salvation and ask that You will come and teach us Your ways, so that we may have true life and have it abundantly. Help us to love one another as you love us, and to forgive one another as you have forgiven us. Lord, your Word says our lives are like a flower that withers, and we do not know how long we will live. So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto your wisdom. Also, Lord give us strength with humility so that we can continue to do Your good work and press on toward the goal of eternal life with you. Thank you again Lord, God for you grace and mercy. In Jesus Name I pray, Amen.

Condolence: Mama Phyllis-
Though we were only able to see you occasionally we will always remember is your warmth, your strength, and the regal air with which you carried yourself - a sense of confidence that glowed from you.
The kids took to you from the first meeting at Bernie and Brenda's 4th of July party in 2006, and that is unusual, and you gave Janet some Pinay kinship that she so loves.
Your spirit carries on in the lives of your children. I know that we have been blessed in getting to know the Bringhurst clan. Thank you for being who you were.

Condolence: Phyllis was so full of joy and many, like me, will miss her smiling face and boundless energy. She was also a very special mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, and was loved by all those who knew her. Please know that I share in your grief and loss and extend my deepest sympathy to you all. My love, thoughts and prayers are with you, always.

Condolence: There are so many memories that I have it is difficult to know where to start. When I first met Phyllis, I was a bit intimidated. She was so beautiful and regal and carried herself with such dignity. Of course, over the years, I grew to know her as well as I know my own mom. I love her and will miss her forever. I am thankful to have been able to spend so much time with her over the years. I'm thankful that she taught me how to cook the wonderful dishes she took such pride in.
Her reason for living was her children, her grandchildren and her great grandchildren. What a legacy she left behind! She was not a complicated person. She knew how to love her family and she did it beautifully. I remember that she was lousy at telling jokes and she couldn't follow a recipe to save her life...! I remember that she ALWAYS had a gigantic bowl of candy on her counter. I remember that she loved to play Bingo (she could keep up with more cards at one time than anyone I've ever seen!!). She loved bright colors, costume jewelry, music of any kind and kung fu movies. I love you Phyllis.

Condolence: Dear Phyllis poured me coffee at the Bellingham Senior Center coffee bar for 10 years. Always a smile for me.
Always a chat about her beloved children and travel and her home. But most of all, this lady could make the most beautiful hard boiled eggs I have ever seen or ate. It was her treat to me often.
Her attire, her make-up, her jewelry, her hair...always a class act. I missed her when she left and I shall think of her alot. I was proud to know you Phyllis, love Sally