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Memorial Keepers (1)

Cesarz, Charapata & Zinnecker Funeral Home

Phyllis Yohn Shattuc

February 24th, 1929 - January 3rd, 2025

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We lost a sparkler on January 3rd - Phyllis Yohn Shattuc passed away after a brief bout of pneumonia. We tucked her into Prairie Home Cemetery on January 9th, just 20 feet from Waukesha’s other great denizen, Les Paul. It was a beautiful blue sky day, albeit freezing. At her request there was no service, so our graveside time was short and sweet (just like her). While paying our respects, a huge hawk flew from a nearby tree, then circled us and flew off. You would’ve thought it was remote controlled by the funeral home staff. We wrapped things up per mom’s wishes with “On the Road Again” by Willie Nelson. Oh, how she loved a road trip with the windows down and the music blaring!

 

Phyllis Yohn was born on February 24, 1928 to Frank and Sallie Loving Richeson Yohn in Jordan’s Retreat, Maryland. She grew up on a farm with a zillion cousins and forever loved the smell of cow pastures because it reminded her of home. After high school she went to the Baltimore Business School to hone her secretarial skills; she moved to Waukesha by herself at age 20 because adventure called this independent spirit. She soon became secretary to the General Manager of the Milwaukee Braves and held that position throughout their World Series winning years in the late 1950s. Forever a Braves fan, she was buried in her 1957 World Series Championship t-shirt.

 

Phyllis was a supportive mom to her son John, and daughter Sue (Merritt Raitt), never missing one of John’s baseball games or Sue’s various sporting events. She was a great PTA mom and a driver for countless field trips. In her spare time, she was an avid bowler winning many league championships and state family twosome championships with John and Sue. Her teammates were her dearest friends.

 

Two of her greatest loves were her grandchildren Isabel Jewel and Jay Weatherford Raitt. Known as “Fifi,” she simply adored them. Iz remembers her love of Willie Nelson, Dancing with the Stars, the Wisconsin sun, Amtrak, a good fast walk, Chinese checkers, Summerfest and her “maple leaf” necklace. Jay recalled her joie de vivre, and never wanting to slow down despite her age; he’ll always admire her as someone who rose above her circumstances. Her whip smart wit kept us laughing throughout her life and lives on through her grandchildren.

 

Even at 96, mom’s eyes always twinkled, and her kindness never wavered. She was a simple woman; the nicest person most will ever know. She taught us to “do the right thing” and to “never stoop to their level.” She parented us through sayings which made for interesting advice. Perhaps the very best was, “love is blind but the neighbors ain’t.” Through all of the tough times we never once doubted her love for us. We’ll miss that twinkle, but now maybe a star in the sky has gained it.

 

We want to send special thanks to the staff of Brighton Hospice Services, and especially to Nurse Hannah Trewyn. Hannah was mom’s biggest fan and provided great comfort to her throughout her stay in assisted living.  Thank you, Hannah, for taking such special care of mom and us as if we were family.

 

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We Entrusted Phyllis Shattuc's Care To

Cesarz, Charapata & Zinnecker Funeral Home

Cesarz, Charapata & Zinnecker Funeral Home

Since 1897, Cesarz, Charapata and Zinnecker Funeral Home has been a cornerstone of the Waukesha community. More than a century later, our dedication to helping families navigate their grief has not wavered. Our mission has always been to provide high-quality, personalized service to every family that walks through our doors. Our team is committed to offering professional and compassionate care, ensuring that each family receives the respect and support they need during their time of mourning....

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(262) 333-8223

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