Catherine "Phyllis" McElroy, age 99, of Rochester, passed away February 19, 2021. Phyllis was born January 27, 1922 to Thomas and Mabel Fitzgerald in Westfield Township (near Hayfield and Blooming Prairie).

Phyllis' early life on the farm was not an easy one. They lived off the land without running water or electricity. She graduated Valedictorian from Blooming Prairie High School in 1938. She then made her way to Washington DC where she worked for the War Production Board as a stenographer. Phyllis could type 80 words per minute.

While in DC she met and courted a dashing US Marine, Kenneth McElroy. They married on September 18, 1942. In July 1943, Phyllis resigned from her position and they returned to Minnesota.

Phyllis and Kenneth raised 5 children: Judy, Joanne (Joe), Thomas, Michael (Kathy), and Daniel (Candace). She was also blessed with 9 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren, and 4 great-great-grandchildren.

Her husband, Kenneth, and son, Thomas preceded her in death.

Phyllis was a very caring, loving, and giving person. She loved and supported her church and did many things to help there, including sponsoring priests through the seminary. Phyllis put a lot of good into the world in many different ways. She sponsored a family into Rochester from Vietnam, staying in contact for years. She and her husband helped build an orphanage in Mexico, using the proceeds from a cheesecake cookbook that she and a friend wrote and published. She also traveled to Mexico to physically help with the build.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Saturday, February 27, 2021 at 2:00pm at Church of the Resurrection in Rochester, with Rev. Peter Schuster officiating. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will be at Calvary Cemetery in Rochester. Due to Covid-19, the family respects all decisions on attendance.

The family prefers memorials to Channel One.