Phyllis Voss ’47 Bruggers

Phyllis Bruggers was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and child of God. Phyllis was born to John and Cornelia (DeYoung) Voss in South Holland, Illinois on October 2, 1924. She was the middle child; her sisters Marjorie Stephens and Dorothy Voss have preceded her in death.

Phyllis attended Thornton TownshipHigh School in Illinois and graduated in 1942. She then enrolled at Hope College in Holland, Michigan to pursue a degree in education. Phyllis met her future husband, Glenn Bruggers, when he returned toHope College after being discharged from the military in January of 1946. Phyllis graduated fromHope in 1947, and taught elementary school in Dolton, Illinois. In 1948 after Glenn graduated, they were married on the 22nd of June. They settled into a place on 14th Street and College in Holland, where Phyllis taught at Longfellow Elementary and Glenn continued his studies at Western Theological Seminary. They were following God’s call on their lives to be His ambassadors of love and mercy which extended as far away as Japan over a 22 year period when they faithfully served as missionaries on behalf of the Reformed Church. During their time in Japan, Phyllis also taught at FukuokaWomen’s University and Baiko Girls School, and was principal and a teacher at Fukuoka International School.

Phyllis and Glenn returned toMichigan when Glenn took a call to serve on the national staff as Secretary for Asian and African Ministries of the Reformed Church of America. Phyllis served as a substitute teacher in the Jenison Public Schools, and as secretary at Hope Reformed Church in Grand Rapids. She additionally worked with Reformed Church Women and as a volunteer child advocate for the Grand Rapids YWCA shelter for abused women.

In 1989, Phyllis and Glenn retired and moved back to Holland from Jenison and became members of Third Reformed Church. They served as interim administrators of the RCA’s Speakers Bureau for six months. At Third Reformed Church, Phyllis was a Sunday school teacher, spiritual life secretary for Reformed ChurchWomen and an elder. She has also worked with families through the church’s“Project Zero Committee.” From 1991 to 1999, Phyllis was active in Good SamaritanMinistries. Phyllis and Glenn’s ministry of love and faithfulness continued among their beloved family and many friends.

Phyllis Bruggers died in hospice August 3rd at Hillside Terrace in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Throughout her 96 years of life, she honored the God she loved and served with all her heart.

Phyllis Bruggers’ family includes children David ( Denise) Bruggers of Peru; Stephen (the late Barbara) Bruggers of North Carolina; Joan ( James Sullivan) Bruggers of Ann Arbor (Mara, Liam), Carolyn Bruggers of Chicago; grandchildren, great- grandchildren, nieces, nephews and cousins.

Return to Current In Memoriam