Phyllis Blessen

Phyllis Blessen, 84, of Columbus, died Tuesday, May 28, 2024, at her home in Columbus. 

The funeral service was held on Friday, May 31, at 10 a.m., at Trinity Lutheran Church, with Pastor Ollie Fullmer officiating. Visitation was Thursday, May 30, from 6-8 p.m. at Gass Haney Funeral Home. Visitation will continue Friday, from 9 a.m. until service time at the church. There was a family prayer service at 9:45 a.m. on Friday, at the church. Interment will be in Roselawn Memorial Cemetery. Memorials may be directed to the American Cancer Society. 

Phyllis JoAnn Blessen was born on May 13, 1940, in St. Edward, to Eddie and Lucille (Thomas) Stickney. Her family lived in Gothenburg, until she was eight years old and then moved to Columbus, where Phyllis graduated from Kramer High School in 1958. From ages 13-18, she worked at Y-Knot Café and two of her daughters worked there in later years. On Feb. 6, 1959, Phyllis was united in marriage to Donald Blessen in Yankton, S.D. 

In the early years of their marriage, Phyllis worked at Dale Electronics and in food service for Columbus Public Schools. She also worked as a seamstress for over 70 years of her life. As a teenager, she made all her own clothes and early into their marriage, she made all of her and her family’s clothes.  She did alterations for JC Penneys, Bordy’s Clothing, and Schwesers, as well as doing alterations for customers out of her home until very recently.  She also made and sold Barbie clothes, Cabbage Patch Kids, and American Girl clothes. Phyllis had made all four of her daughters’ wedding gowns and several of her granddaughters’ wedding gowns. 

Phyllis and Don were members of the Gold Wing Motorcycle Club and had ridden in all lower 48 states as well as six Canadian provinces. Phyllis also enjoyed bowling. She was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church. 

Phyllis is survived by daughters, Teresa Sterup of Tecumseh and Tonya (Matt) Dykstra of Omaha; son, Todd (Kathy) Blessen of Garrison; sons-in-law, Rob Liskovec of Monroe and Lynn Belitz of Fullerton; 24 grandchildren; 50 great-grandchildren; sister, Nancy (Howard) McBride of Omaha; sisters-in-law, Rosemary (Jerry) Kracl of Schuyler and Linda (Terry) Went of Columbus; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Eddie and Lucille Stickney; husband, Donald Blessen; daughters, Tamara Liskovec and Tracy Belitz; grandson, Hank Dykstra; brothers, Donald Stickney and Robert Stickney; sister, Shirley (Bruce) Weil; and sister-in-law, Evelyn (Mark) Schmidt.