Phyllis Evelyn (Lucas) Farneth

James W. Shirley Funeral Home

Obituaries | The Tube City Almanac | October 15, 2020

Phyllis Evelyn (Lucas) Farneth, 93, of Greensburg, formerly of Plum Borough, died Wednesday, October 14, 2020, at the Greensburg campus of Redstone Highlands Senior Care. Phyllis was born September 18, 1927, in Coraopolis, Pa., the first of four children to Stanley and Lula Lucas. After growing up in Parnassus, Pa. and graduating from New Kensington High School, Phyllis worked as a stenographer and savings-and-loan associate. She married Robert Lester Farneth (“Bob”) in 1949 and together they had four children, living for over 50 years in a small community on Logan's Ferry Hill, Plum Borough, on land that had been in the Farneth family for generations. Phyllis was an active member of the First United Methodist Church in New Kensington, where she held various administrative posts, taught Sunday School, led women’s groups, founded and maintained the library, and sang alto in the choir for decades. Phyllis also served as a teacher’s aide and librarian at Logan’s Ferry Elementary School and worked for many years at the Care Enough card shop in New Kensington.

She enjoyed bridge club, sewing, reading, playing the piano, singing, and working puzzles of all kinds. After retirement the couple wintered in Florida and traveled around the country to attend reunions of Bob’s Marine Corps battalion. Phyllis was known for her gentle personality, support of her husband, children, and others in her sphere, and for her quiet diplomacy.

She is survived by a sister, Viola Gerdes; brother, James Lucas; and brother, Robert Lucas; children, Walter (Aleen Bartkus), of West Newton, Pa., David (David Gilbert), of Tucson, Ariz., Amy Harris (David), of Newark, Del., and James (Michele), of Bend, Ore.; grandchildren, John Farneth-Torma, Lindsey Harris (Ben Johnson), Greg Harris, Kristie Cummins (James) and Nicole Chapman (David); great-grandchildren, Karah Chapman, Thea Johnson, Emma Torma, and John E. Torma; and many nieces and nephews. Plans for a future memorial gathering are pending.  Arrangements by James W. Shirley Funeral Home.  www.shirleyfuneralhome.com

Originally published October 15, 2020.

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