Phyllis Mae (Anderson) Kettenhoven

Phyllis Mae (Anderson) Kettenhoven, age 81, of Clintonville passed away Friday, January 31, at Care Partners in Clintonville.

Phyllis was born on November 12, 1938, in Clintonville to Lester and Lizzie (Wedde) Anderson. On September 22, 1956, Phyllis was united in marriage to James Donald Kettenhoven in Black Creek where the couple resided until relocating to Clintonville.

Phyllis worked at “The Drive” (FWD) as a machinist and later, Donaldson Cleaners for years. Phyllis was a hard worker all her life, but she knew how to have fun, too. She was an avid hunter and spent quite a few hunting seasons with the family even during the times they camped on the “blue bus” where she was also the camp cook. She enjoyed many games of Aggravation, Yahtzee, Sheepshead, dice games and poker including Texas Hold’em, and other card games. She also enjoyed bass fishing alongside her husband including many opening-weekend family bass tournaments on Pigeon Pond in Clintonville. She played softball for Cactus Jack’s and Wishing Well, with the Wishing Well team taking a first place for Women’s Slow Pitch. She was a great bowler with at least one trophy, and her team even competed in a televised tournament.

After their kids were raised, Phyllis and Jim got the itch to move to Land O’ Lakes where relatives had vacation spots or built retirement havens. They worked as caretakers for a nursing home and a resort while building “Para Dice”, the name given to their northern paradise. Lifetime memories were made for the entire family who enjoyed recreation on and near Lac Vieux Dessert including fishing, four-wheeling and nights playing games around the kitchen table or sitting on the beautiful covered deck and watching the fire in the pit. They eventually made the decision to retire and move back to Clintonville into the home where they had raised their family. 

Phyllis and James celebrated a 50th wedding anniversary in the fall of 2006. The couple always danced together like they were floating on air, never missing a beat and always in sync with each other as they had lived their entire life. She has now joined her life-long love for the next dance.

Phyllis is survived by their five children: Steve (Kathleen) Kettenhoven (Clintonville); Scott (Penny) Kettenhoven (Clintonville); Lori Kettenhoven (Jon) of Pearson; Kirt (Pamela) Kettenhoven (Clintonville); and James Donald, Jr. (Tammy) Kettenhoven (New London). There are 13 grandchildren, more than a dozen great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

Phyllis is further survived by her sisters: Barbara (Arthur) Plaster, Shirley (Terry) Wolf; a brother Gerald (Rose) Anderson. There are two surviving sisters-in-law: Bernice Anderson and Mavis Anderson. There is one surviving brother-in-law: Floyd Bricco.

Phyllis was preceded in death by husband James in 2013; her parents Lester and Lizzie; brothers: Victor, Leonard, Clarence “Buzz”, Richard, and sisters: Laverne Stueck, Dorothy Laux and, June Bricco.

Memorial services will be held 2 PM Saturday, February 15, 2020 at Christus Lutheran Church, Clintonville, with the Rev. Brian Crocker officiating. Inurnment will take place at Graceland Cemetery, Clintonville in the spring.

Visitation for family and friends will begin at 12 noon on Saturday at the church until the time of service.

The Eberhardt-Stevenson Funeral Home & Crematory, Clintonville is assisting the Kettenhoven family.

An online guestbook is available at eberhardtstevenson.com.