Polly Jo Phillips

Polly Jo Phillips 86, of Vail, Arizona passed away peacefully on June 5, 2025. She was born on October 17, 1938 to Herman and Lila Martin Petersen in Hartley, Iowa. She grew up on the Library farm north of Peterson where she attended and graduated valedictorian from the Peterson School system.

Polly married Jim Steffen on March 31, 1957 and they had three daughters, Tamara, Tracey and Tonya. Jim and Polly farmed together east of Group 21. She was a 4H leader for many years, a love which she shared with her daughters along with many other skills. Polly worked as office manager at Group 21 and after a day at the office, she would jump on the tractor and join Jim in the fields until his death in May 1991. On May 16, 1992 Polly married Richard Phillips and moved to Houston, Texas. They became members of Christ the King Lutheran Church in Kingwood, Texas. It was here in which Polly first got deeply involved in MOPS as a Mentor Mom and Titus Woman and also by working in the church office. In 1998, Dick and Polly moved and built a home in Vail, Arizona. Polly continued her involvement with the church and working in the church office. When Fountain of Life started a mission church in the Vail area, Polly and Dick became the first to volunteer their porch for meetings and bible studies. For many years after, Polly continued to be just as involved in Christ Lutheran Vail Church. She started MOPS at CLV, worked in the church office and greeted everyone every Sunday morning in the parking lot with a hug.

A legacy she will always be remembered for will be her support, encouragement, love and faith that she shared with her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and everyone she met. She radiated God’s love and was His faithful servant.

Polly was preceded in death by her parents, her first husband Jim and his parents, many in-laws, her sister Peggy, along with her great-granddaughter Aubree Biedenfeld and her step daughter Denise Phillips.

Left to cherish her memory are her husband, Richard (Dick), her daughters, Tam (Doug) Newell of Tucson, AZ, Tracey (Steven) Biedenfeld of Peterson, Iowa, and Tonya (Joel) Hollrith of Pewaukee, Wisconsin; grandchildren Kelcee Newell and her fiance’ Ryan Young, Chloe (Sean) Heslin, Abbey (Adam) Batschelet, Beau (Liz) Biedenfeld, Samantha (Joe) Wendelberger, and Tanner Hollrith; great grandchildren Jaelyn and Reese Batschelet, and Bentley and Charlee Biedenfeld; and sister Penny Mallo, brother-in-law Darrell Herrin and sister-in-law Donna Jones and Donna Steffen. She is also survived by many nieces, nephews and friends who will miss her dearly.

A memorial service will be held at Christ Lutheran Vail Church at 11am on Saturday, July 26th.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in her name to Christ Lutheran Vail Church Building Fund, 14600 E. Colossal Cave Road, Vail, AZ 85641.