Phyllis K. James, 79

Phyllis K. James, 79, passed away Dec. 29, 2009, from a stroke, at Kootenai Memorial Hospital. She was born in San Jose, Calif., Aug. 21, 1930, to Forrest and Blanche Jones. She grew up, for the most part, in Arroyo Grande, Calif., and later, as a teenager, in Alturas, Calif., where she graduated from high school.

Phyllis moved to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, in 1970 and in 1971 married Donald W. James. She worked for a short time for Kootenai Medical Hospital in the Records Dept. and later excelled in selling Princess House Crystal. Her last days of work, before retiring, in 1995, were the selling of Avon products.

Phyllis loved all the people she met, with never a thought for herself, only those around her. She was a very giving person and truly loved by all those she touched. She had an art for decorating. She loved working with flowers, both fresh and artificial. Her yard work was second to none. She designed the backyard of her home in Coeur d’Alene. As, a result, in the early years of the Coeur d’Alene “Garden Tour” was on the list of yards to tour. Upon, retiring, she and her husband, Don, traveled as much as possible, had taken the cruises, and did everything a good tourist would do. She loved to travel, but in her later years, because of health issues, had to put traveling on hold.

She is survived by her husband, Don James of Coeur d’Alene; her daughters, Christine Stoneman of Stokesdale, N.C., Michele Springer of Post Falls, Idaho, Janice Rohme of Galt, Calif., Kathy Wescott of Las Vegas, Nev., Debbie Adams of Bakersfield, Calif.; and a son, David James of Murfreesboro, Tenn. Other survivors include a brother and sister-in-law, David and Jane Twist of Long Beach, Calif; sister-in-law, Betty Kalb of Spokane, Wash.; 11 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

A “celebration of life” will be held for Phyllis at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2010, at Christ the King Lutheran Church, 1700 E. Pennsylvania Ave., Coeur d’Alene, with Yates Funeral Home, Coeur d’Alene, in care of the arrangements.

The family prefers memorial donations to Christ the King Lutheran Church.

Please sign Phyllis’s guest registry and view her online memorial at www.yatesfuneralhomes.com.