Phyllis Mae (Washburn) Croasmun, 83, 1106 Palm View Avenue, Belleair, Florida, 33756 passed away Saturday, September 24, 2016, at Morton Plant Hospital in Clearwater, Florida. Mrs. Croasmun was born May 30, 1933, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to Charles Robert and Anna (Fitzgerald) Washburn. Phyllis married John Thomas Croasmun October 24, 1953. They were happily married 44 years before he passed away in 1997. She is also preceded in death by her only sister, Charlotte (Washburn) Gardner as well as her parents. Surviving are four sons, Keith (Lisa) Croasmun of Port St. Joe, Florida; Chuck (Shirley) Croasmun of Belleair, Florida; Tom (Sue) Croasmun of Findlay, Ohio; and Jim (Michelle) Croasmun of Auburn, Georgia; 16 grandchildren, Keith’s children, Eric (Stacy) Croasmun, Amy (Mark) DeAmicis, Nora (Jon) Danhauer, Jason (Erica) Croasmun, Michelle Croasmun, Trent and Seth Belcher; Chuck’s children, Kendrick (Mandy) Croasmun, Matthew (Lisa) Croasmun, Lindsay (Chris) Weiser, Rachel (Philip) Chevere, and Charlie (Crysti) Croasmun; Tom’s children, T. J. and Angel Croasmun; and Jim’s children, Taylor and Lucas Croasmun; and 25 great-grandchildren.
Phyllis was raised in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania where she attended parochial school from 1939 to 1947. She graduated from Perry High School in 1951. Upon graduation she became employed by Allis Chalmers in the secretarial pool. In 1952 John “Tom” Croasmun proposed to her, and they became engaged. They were married in 1953 and left Pittsburgh to start their married life together in the United States Air Force stationed at Hunter Air Force base in Savannah, Georgia, where their oldest two sons were born. Even though they left Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh never left them. They were both avid Steeler Fans all their lives; and they passed on that tradition. After completing his enlistment, they moved to Syracuse, New York, where their third son was born. They subsequently lived in Rochester and Buffalo, New York, then Dearborn Heights, Michigan, where their fourth son was born. In the summer of 1966, due to unemployment, Phyllis, Tom and their four boys spent the summer with her sister, Charlotte, and brother-in-law, Jack Gardner, along with their six children John, Dalene, Barbara, Phyllis, Anne Marie and Honey at their house in Wexford, Pennsylvania. The children formed life-long memories with their cousins which impacted their lives forever. In 1967 Tom, Phyllis and their family moved to the Findlay, Ohio, area with his employment at RCA Corporation where they remained until their retirement years. Phyllis was employed by Sears then Continental Cablevision/ComCast where she retired in 1989.
Phyllis was a dedicated wife and loving mother and grandmother. During the children’s formative years, she was the epitomy of the traditional stay-at-home mother of that era. She always made sure all the family’s clothes were freshly starched and pressed and her house was spotless, and dinner was served at five. She faithfully attended all of her sons’ sporting events at Van Buren School. Her sons were known by the football coaches to have the whitest pants on the field because she soaked them in “Biz” in the bathtub after every game. Not only did she clothe and feed her sons well; she loved the time she and Tom spent together relaxing with each other or their close friends. Phyllis and Tom enjoyed dancing at the Elks Club, bowling at Timberlanes, playing bridge and dining out at many of Findlay’s restaurants. Another of their great joys was taking care of Katie Logsdon from newborn until she no longer required child care. She was like an “adopted granddaughter” and was loved by both of them. After their retirement, they enjoyed traveling throughout the United States. In 2004 she moved to Newnan, Georgia, to be with Keith’s family. Then in 2012 she moved to be with Chuck’s family, where she spent the remaining years of her life. Phyllis was loved by all who knew her and will be greatly missed. She was always a lady, an awesome mom, a fun grandma, a faithful friend and a wonderful mother-in-law.
A church service to celebrate the life of Phyllis Croasmun is scheduled for Saturday, October 8, 2016, at Clearwater First Assembly of God 1739 South MLK Jr. Avenue, Clearwater, Florida 33756 at 10:00 a.m. with a viewing at 9:30 a.m. that is open to the public.
Friends and family are invited to share a memory and sign her guestbook below.
Chuck & Shirley,
We all have admired the loving care you gave your mom. You are a great son, I’m sure she felt it big time. Not everyone can say they “honored” their mom as we are taught from Sunday School until we are adults. Your friends and family saw it. Blessings to Chuck & Shirley Croasmun for a job well done.
Chuck ,, Your mother always had a smile for anyone who came in. You could see how much she loved you all and all the grandkids and great grandkids. You are a wonderful son and took such great care of her.. She will be missed
To all of the Croasmun family: My heart breaks for you all hearing this news. Your mom/grandma was such a sweet loving woman and I am so privileged to have been a part of your family and her life. Sending you all love and prayers in the coming days and months ahead. Love, Kendra
So sorry, thoughts and prayers for the entire family. Keegan and I are very thankful and blessed to have known her and to have been able to spend so much time with her over the years in Georgia.
My condolences to you and your family.
Dear family, Your mother, grandmother and great grandmother was an amazing lady. She always welcomed us with a smile and a hug. She was so happy to see her family (and extended family through marriage.) I know she was a blessing to all of you and she will be missed by all. Love Cindy Wexler
Love and prayers to the whole family. So sorry for your
Loss. Now she will be your guardian angel
Forever and always with you like she has
Never left . I know she will always be in your heart
Forever!🙏🏻🙏🏻💕💕
Praying God’s peace and love surround all the family members and that you would be overshadowed by His abiding presence during this time of sorrow and loss. Sorrow may last for the night … but joy comes in the morning! Love to all!
I’ve been keeping you all in my prayers during this difficult time. Phyllis must have been a great lady to raise such a wonderful, compassionate man such as Chuck. Love you all!
She was always my “second” MOM. I feel so very privileged to have grown up with such a caring and special person. I have so many memories of, not only her, but all of the Croasmun family. I am a better man because of her and Mr. “C” and feel so very blessed by knowing them. My thoughts and prayers go out to the whole family. I truly wish that I could be there to share the stories and memories with you all.
Love always,
Brad Hammond
(The 5th son)
Dear Croasmun Family, I knew Phyllis only as “GiGi”. And even though I knew her for only about 2 years, she always seemed to know who I was. She had the most beautiful, sparkling eyes and the sweetest heart. The legacy she has left inside each of you will last for generations. I’m so sorry for the grief you are experiencing. It will get better, slowly. Give yourselves the time you need to mourn. I rejoice with you that she is not gone, she’s just moved to the home she was created for. She’s waiting for you there. As you gather together to say goodbye to her one last time, imagine those who have gone before her, gathering with Jesus, to greet her now in Heaven. Sending you all our love.
Keith and family, I am sorry to hear of your Mothers passing.She was a very nice lady. Take care
To The Croasmun Family:
I had the privilege of working with Phyllis at Continental Cable for years. During that time, I got to know her and Tom so well. My heart breaks for your loss. She was one of a kind and I am truly humbled to have had the opportunity to have had her in my life. Although I lost contact with her after she moved, to this day, I still look back and smile every time I think of her. Thoughts and prayers are with you all.
What a wonderful service. I want to take a moment to personally thank everyone who took the time to be part of it. That includes all that left their words of kindness and sympathy through this forum. It really says a lot about how much my mom impacted so many lives for the better. Even more, it diplays what kind of people you all are. Good always gravitates towards good. All of you are good people. Thank you so much.