A life well lived has come to an end. Phyllis E. Vollstedt, a life long resident of Albany, died July 14 at Samaritan Albany General Hospital at the at of 88.
Phyllis was born in Albany the daughter of William A. and Winona (Strome) Vollstedt. Phyllis graduated from Albany High School and received a Bachelor of Science degree in business from Oregon State College. She was an active member of the American Hereford Association, the Oregon Hereford Association and the Pacific Northwest Christmas Tree Association.
Phyllis purchased a local farm store from her parents which she named Vollstedt's Green Thumb. She ran a successful garden center for 35 years during an era when few women owned their own business. Phyllis retired to the farm in North Albany and successfully bred Hereford cattle and raised Christmas trees. In 1995, Vollstedt Farms bred and owned the national champion polled Hereford bull. Several generations of families in Albany have enjoyed selecting their Christmas tree from Vollstedt Farms choose and cut.
She is survived by her partner of 47 years, Linda Sims, and a large family of cousins.
A funeral service will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, July 19, at AAsum-Dufour Funeral Home, 805 Ellsworth St. S.W., Albany. A reception at the funeral home will follow the services.