Phyllis Verbitsky , 81, Minot, formerly of Butte, died on Thursday, September 8, 2011 in a Minot healthcare center.

Phyllis Rebecca Bauch was born on September 27, 1929 in Underwood to Aleck and Louise (Mittlieder) Bauch. She was reared and educated in rural schools near Coleharbor and attended Underwood High School. She also attended the Prairie Bible Institute in Three Hills, Alberta, Canada. Following her time at the Instititue; she and her sister, Alice, taught vacation Bible schools in the Butte area. She then moved to Minot and was employed as a waitress at the Coffee Cup Cafe\' and Kresge Dime Store.

Phyllis married Andrew Verbitsky on May 17, 1953 in Underwood, North Dakota. They made their home on a farm in Arena Township of McLean County near Butte where they were grain farmers. During that time; Phyllis moved to Minot to assist her mother-in-law, and later to operate the Verbitsky Home Assisted Living Facility in Minot, ND from 1955 to 1959. Phyllis and Andrew lived on the farm for twenty-four years before moving into Butte in 1977.

Andrew died on December 13, 1981. Following his death she spent winters in Minot. She sold her house in Butte in 1993, moved to Minot permanently and worked as an independent home health care provider.

She was a member of the 29th Homemakers club in the Turtle Lake area and attended the East Crooked Lake Ladies Aid. While living in Butte, she attended the Congregational Church and when in Minot, First Baptist and Immanuel Baptist Churches. She belonged to the Parkinson\'s support group of Minot and was an avid supporter of Parkinson\'s awareness; as both she and Andrew suffered from the illness. Her hobbies were gardening, embroidery, cooking, baking, cake decorating and writing poetry.

Phyllis is survived by her children: Ferril Walter-Helm (George Helm), Minot and Byron (Barbara) Verbitsky, Poynette, Wisconsin; sister, Ardella (Lloyd) Schafer, Bismark; brother, Alvin (Maybeth) Bauch, Hendersonville, North Carolina; grandchildren, April (Michael) Twining, Hailey Helm and Evan Blackwell; great-grandchild, Annaliese Twining and several nieces, nephews and cousins.

Phyllis was preceded in death by her husband Andrew; parents, Aleck and Louise Bauch; brothers, Gary and Roy; sisters, Alice Bauch and Mathilda Bauch (in infancy) and nephew, Michael Bauch.

Funeral service : Tuesday, September 13, 2011 at 11:00 a.m. in First Baptist Church, Minot.
Interment : Sunset Memorial Gardens, Minot.
Visitation: Monday from 2:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. in Thomas Family Funeral Home, Minot.
Memorials are preferred