First daughter of Thomas Benedict Larrigan and Elsie Clarice Ugron Larrigan. Her birth certificate was filed a month after her birth, yet her parents had not yet finalized a first name, so that line was left blank. They did decide on "Philomena Mae," but growing up, she preferred Phyllis. Finally, at age 18, she and her father filed a Supplemental Birth Certificate to legally make her first name Phyllis.
At age 11, she lost her mother to septicemia poisoning following a miscarriage. Her Uncle James Larrigan and wife Ruby, of Rockford, Illinois, took over care of Phyllis and her sisters until their dad got back on his feet again.
Phyllis met her first husband, Lawrence, in Kankakee, Illinois, where he had hitchhiked from Chanute Air Force Base, south at Rantoul. Lawrence had gone AWOL after spending many days in quarantine with other airmen in his barracks. He was going stir crazy, he said, and finally he and another buddy climbed the fence and hitched north to Kankakee, where they'd heard there were some "good-lookin' broadies." (his words!) After meeting Phyllis, he made the trip again and again, with permission from Uncle Sam.
After marriage, they traveled extensively with the Air Force and had four children before divorcing in the mid-1950s. Phyllis and the children returned to Kankakee, and there she was courted by a Navy veteran and union carpenter, Lloyd E. "Slim" Walsh. They married in late 1956. The couple made up a floor plan for their dream house and bought a lot in Arrowhead Hills subdivision, and rented while they saved money to build. In 1964-65, Slim spent a year building that dream house in his hours after work and on weekends. His brothers and other friends and relatives pitched in with their special skills in various trades, too.
Phyllis was a professional seamstress who specialized in making custom-made draperies during the 1960s, often working with her sister, Doreen. She was a skilled interior designer and enjoyed artistic home hobbies such as poured pottery and paint-by-number. Her children remained first and foremost in her life.
On July 9, 1970, Phyllis died of metasticized breast cancer at age 47 at St. Mary's Hospital, Kankakee, Ill. She is still sorely missed by all who knew her sparkling personality, keen wit, and deep love.
At age 11, she lost her mother to septicemia poisoning following a miscarriage. Her Uncle James Larrigan and wife Ruby, of Rockford, Illinois, took over care of Phyllis and her sisters until their dad got back on his feet again.
Phyllis met her first husband, Lawrence, in Kankakee, Illinois, where he had hitchhiked from Chanute Air Force Base, south at Rantoul. Lawrence had gone AWOL after spending many days in quarantine with other airmen in his barracks. He was going stir crazy, he said, and finally he and another buddy climbed the fence and hitched north to Kankakee, where they'd heard there were some "good-lookin' broadies." (his words!) After meeting Phyllis, he made the trip again and again, with permission from Uncle Sam.
After marriage, they traveled extensively with the Air Force and had four children before divorcing in the mid-1950s. Phyllis and the children returned to Kankakee, and there she was courted by a Navy veteran and union carpenter, Lloyd E. "Slim" Walsh. They married in late 1956. The couple made up a floor plan for their dream house and bought a lot in Arrowhead Hills subdivision, and rented while they saved money to build. In 1964-65, Slim spent a year building that dream house in his hours after work and on weekends. His brothers and other friends and relatives pitched in with their special skills in various trades, too.
Phyllis was a professional seamstress who specialized in making custom-made draperies during the 1960s, often working with her sister, Doreen. She was a skilled interior designer and enjoyed artistic home hobbies such as poured pottery and paint-by-number. Her children remained first and foremost in her life.
On July 9, 1970, Phyllis died of metasticized breast cancer at age 47 at St. Mary's Hospital, Kankakee, Ill. She is still sorely missed by all who knew her sparkling personality, keen wit, and deep love.
First daughter of Thomas Benedict Larrigan and Elsie Clarice Ugron Larrigan. Her birth certificate was filed a month after her birth, yet her parents had not yet finalized a first name, so that line was left blank. They did decide on "Philomena Mae," but growing up, she preferred Phyllis. Finally, at age 18, she and her father filed a Supplemental Birth Certificate to legally make her first name Phyllis.
At age 11, she lost her mother to septicemia poisoning following a miscarriage. Her Uncle James Larrigan and wife Ruby, of Rockford, Illinois, took over care of Phyllis and her sisters until their dad got back on his feet again.
Phyllis met her first husband, Lawrence, in Kankakee, Illinois, where he had hitchhiked from Chanute Air Force Base, south at Rantoul. Lawrence had gone AWOL after spending many days in quarantine with other airmen in his barracks. He was going stir crazy, he said, and finally he and another buddy climbed the fence and hitched north to Kankakee, where they'd heard there were some "good-lookin' broadies." (his words!) After meeting Phyllis, he made the trip again and again, with permission from Uncle Sam.
After marriage, they traveled extensively with the Air Force and had four children before divorcing in the mid-1950s. Phyllis and the children returned to Kankakee, and there she was courted by a Navy veteran and union carpenter, Lloyd E. "Slim" Walsh. They married in late 1956. The couple made up a floor plan for their dream house and bought a lot in Arrowhead Hills subdivision, and rented while they saved money to build. In 1964-65, Slim spent a year building that dream house in his hours after work and on weekends. His brothers and other friends and relatives pitched in with their special skills in various trades, too.
Phyllis was a professional seamstress who specialized in making custom-made draperies during the 1960s, often working with her sister, Doreen. She was a skilled interior designer and enjoyed artistic home hobbies such as poured pottery and paint-by-number. Her children remained first and foremost in her life.
On July 9, 1970, Phyllis died of metasticized breast cancer at age 47 at St. Mary's Hospital, Kankakee, Ill. She is still sorely missed by all who knew her sparkling personality, keen wit, and deep love.
At age 11, she lost her mother to septicemia poisoning following a miscarriage. Her Uncle James Larrigan and wife Ruby, of Rockford, Illinois, took over care of Phyllis and her sisters until their dad got back on his feet again.
Phyllis met her first husband, Lawrence, in Kankakee, Illinois, where he had hitchhiked from Chanute Air Force Base, south at Rantoul. Lawrence had gone AWOL after spending many days in quarantine with other airmen in his barracks. He was going stir crazy, he said, and finally he and another buddy climbed the fence and hitched north to Kankakee, where they'd heard there were some "good-lookin' broadies." (his words!) After meeting Phyllis, he made the trip again and again, with permission from Uncle Sam.
After marriage, they traveled extensively with the Air Force and had four children before divorcing in the mid-1950s. Phyllis and the children returned to Kankakee, and there she was courted by a Navy veteran and union carpenter, Lloyd E. "Slim" Walsh. They married in late 1956. The couple made up a floor plan for their dream house and bought a lot in Arrowhead Hills subdivision, and rented while they saved money to build. In 1964-65, Slim spent a year building that dream house in his hours after work and on weekends. His brothers and other friends and relatives pitched in with their special skills in various trades, too.
Phyllis was a professional seamstress who specialized in making custom-made draperies during the 1960s, often working with her sister, Doreen. She was a skilled interior designer and enjoyed artistic home hobbies such as poured pottery and paint-by-number. Her children remained first and foremost in her life.
On July 9, 1970, Phyllis died of metasticized breast cancer at age 47 at St. Mary's Hospital, Kankakee, Ill. She is still sorely missed by all who knew her sparkling personality, keen wit, and deep love.
