Phyllis Hemstad

Phyllis Lorraine Hemstad (Obstarczyk), a longtime local teacher, businesswoman, and community firebrand, passed away from pancreatic cancer on February 8, 2018 at the age of 93. A Vigil will be held on Thursday, February 15, 2018 at 7:00 p.m. at O’Connor Memorial Chapel, 2425 8th Ave. N. A Funeral Liturgy will be held on Friday, February 16, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, 409 13th St. S. Burial will follow at Mount Olivet Cemetery. O’Connor Funeral Home is handling the arrangements. A lifelong resident of the west side, Phyllis was the last of nine children born to Andrew and Anna Obstarczyk on January 29, 1925. Phyllis grew up working alongside her brothers and sisters at the family-owned small businesses, the Northwest Dairy and the Rocky Mountain Ballroom, which west side patrons filled nightly to dance and roller skate. After graduating from Great Falls High School in 1943, where she played the saxophone in the Bison Marching Band, Phyllis earned her bachelor’s degree from the College of Great Falls and later a master’s degree from the University of Montana. In 1947, Phyllis began her teaching career at Dutton High School, where she met the love of her life, Kenneth Hemstad. Phyllis and Kenneth married at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Great Falls on August 6, 1950 and soon began a family of their own while operating a wheat farm east of Dutton and running Trails End Trailer Park on the west side with her brother. Phyllis also taught at Centerville High School and East Middle School before landing a job at Great Falls High School in the fall of 1968. A staple in the east wing of Great Falls High School for a quarter-century, Phyllis served as Chair of the Great Falls High Business Department for 21 years—outlasting the tenure of three principals. In addition to teaching, farming, running a business, and raising her family, she was active in the community. Phyllis was appointed to the City-County Planning Board in 1973. Never losing a re-election bid, she served four decades on the Westside Neighborhood Council. Phyllis in her leadership positions was instrumental in the preservation of 6th Street Southwest, helped construct the flood dykes along the Sun River, fought to preserve the West Side Boys and Girls Club and the West Side Community Hall, and spearheaded the development of West Bank Park along the Missouri River. Phyllis was also a constant in local politics, serving as the Precinct Committeewoman for the Cascade County Republican Central Committee from 1964 to 1993. She was also elected as State Central Committeewoman and represented Montana at the 1980 Republican National Convention in Detroit, Michigan, where the votes cast by Montana’s delegates sealed Ronald Reagan’s nomination for President of the United States. A collector of antiques, Phyllis and Kenneth were charter members of the Montana Pioneer and Classic Auto Club, where they entered their 1914 Ford Model T, 1922 Studebaker Fire Engine, and 1935 Rolls Royce into parades and auto shows across the west. Phyllis opened her own antique business after retiring from Great Falls High School, Trails End Antiques. During their 44 years of marriage, Phyllis and Kenneth traveled extensively to 13 countries, including their parent’s homelands in Norway and Poland. Phyllis was proud of her Polish heritage and she crossed the Iron Curtain in the 1970’s to meet her cousins, nieces, and nephews in Poland. She kept in touch with her Polish extended family for the duration of her life. Phyllis was a member to many organizations including the American Association of University Women, Great Falls Education Association, Montana Education Association, National Education Association, National Association of Business Education, Delta Kappa Gamma, Meadowlark Country Club, American Association of Polish Cultural Clubs, Retired Teachers of North Montana, University of Montana Alumni Association, Republican National Committee, St. Joseph’s Parish, Our Lady of Lourdes, Ladies of Charity, Catholic Daughters of the Americas, Charter Member of the Cascade County Historical Society, the Horseless Carriage Club of America, and the Rolls Royce Owner’s Club. Phyllis was preceded in death by her parents, Anna (Stahura) and Andrew Obstarcyzk; husband Kenneth Hemstad; sisters Mary Mehlhoff, Helen Tognetti, Irene Anderson, and Genevieve Quilter; and brothers Joseph, John, Louis, and Frank Obstarcyzk. She is survived by her daughters, Andrea (Gary) Bennett of Cortez, FL, and Cathy (Jerry) Kuntz of Great Falls, MT; son John (Nancy) Hemstad of Heber City, UT; grandchildren David (Becky) Kuntz of Washington, DC, Brittney Kuntz of Helena, Michelle (Curtis) Burch, and Nicole Hemstad; and great-grandson Liam Burch all of Denver, CO. Memorials are suggested to the Montana Veterans Memorial, P.O.Box 3524, Great Falls, MT 59403-3524. Condolences for the family may be shared online at www.OConnorFuneralHome.com.