Phyllis Monson, 65

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Funeral services for Phyllis Monson will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Emmons Lutheran Church. The Rev. Julie Fiske will officiate. Interment will be in Oaklawn Cemetery in Emmons. Relatives and friends are welcome at Bonnerup Funeral Service in Albert Lea on Friday from 4 to 8 p.m. and at the church on Saturday, one hour before service.
Phyllis Jean (Epland) Monson, 65, retired president and CEO of Security Bank Minnesota, in Albert Lea, died at her home in Emmons on May 20, 2010.
She was born on May 29, 1944, in Albert Lea, to the late Berger and Avis (Oakland) Epland. She was baptized and confirmed in the Emmons Lutheran Church. She graduated from Emmons High School in 1962 and began working there as the secretary.
Phyllis was united in marriage to her high school sweetheart, Gay Monson, on Oct. 19, 1963, at Emmons Lutheran Church. They then moved to Fairmont where Gay was serving his barbering apprenticeship. Returning to Emmons in 1965, Phyllis started her career in banking at the First State Bank of Emmons. She gradually rose from teller, to cashier, to loan officer, to president in 1988. Never having attended college, she basically educated herself as the years went by to learn as much as she could about the banking business, including lending to farmers, at a time when agriculture was in a severe crisis. In 1996, she was named president of Security Bank Minnesota in Albert Lea, and in 2002 she became its chief executive officer until her retirement on Dec. 31, 2009.
Phyllis was a lifelong member of Emmons Lutheran Church, its mission circles and WELCA. Together she and Gay taught Sunday School there. She was actively involved in the Emmons Commercial Club and had been an early member of the Emmons Civic Improvement Club. She was also a devoted member of the Kiwanis of Albert Lea, serving as its treasurer for many years.
Being a cancer survivor for more than 18 years, she was endeared to the Relay for Life and was the keynote speaker in 2005. Phyllis lived her life majestically, but humbly, as a servant of God. Her determination to live an enriched life every day inspired all who knew her. She encouraged so many other cancer patients with her example and her loving, personal contact. She loved to dance with Gay, prepare special Easter and Christmas dinners for her boys, take her grandsons to their favorite restaurant, give and receive hugs and kisses from her young granddaughters, play cards with friends and family, and embroider and sew many decorative items.
Phyllis is survived by her beloved husband, Gay; sons: Tracy (special friend, Katie El-Eid) of Rochester and Mark (Angela) of Mankato; grandchildren: Jacob and Isaac and their mother, Heather Bowman, of Dodge Center, Grace and Gabrielle of Mankato; sister, Betty Fritze of Hackensack; brother, Jerry (Lois) Epland of Emmons; mother-in-law, Arline Monson of Albert Lea; sister-in-law, Katherine (Gary) Madson of Long Lake; brother-in-law, Leslie (Nancy) Monson of Litchfield; step brothers: Ron (Beverly) Oyer of Oakland and David Oyer of Albert Lea; and many nephews, nieces and cousins.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her grandson, Benjamin; stepfather, Tennys Oyer; father-in-law, Kenneth Monson; and brother-in-law, Delmar Fritze.
Preferred memorials are Crossroads Community Hospice of Albert Lea and Emmons Lutheran Church.
The family of Phyllis Monson would like to especially thank Steven R. Alberts, M.D. of Rochester and Crossroads Community Hospice of Albert Lea.