Phyllis E. Weinacht (Nee Gilg)

On July 18, 2023, Phyllis Eileen (Gilg) Weinacht passed away after a brief and sudden illness at the age of 79. Her hand was held by Bob, her loving husband of fifty-four years.

Phyllis was born in (Stuart) Atkinson, Nebraska on January 19, 1944, to Ivan and Eileen Gilg. She graduated from Creighton University and became a teacher. She soon met and married Robert Weinacht (Bob), an extrovert to her introvert. And so began the family that Phyllis selflessly devoted herself to for over fifty years. Phyllis taught while Bob completed pharmacy school and she became a stay-at-home mother when their daughter, Michelle, arrived. Their second daughter, Kimberly, arrived soon after, and thus began her second career of wrangling two girls, fourteen months apart. There were no doubt days she would have chosen a classroom full of any other children in lieu of one more moment with her own. They were, admittedly, a bit of a handful.

Not to be deterred, Phyllis threw herself into motherhood with gusto. Her life was filled with library trips, leading Girl Scouts, volunteering at school, driving kids, convincing her cat-hating husband to let the girls keep the feral kitten they found, cooking, editing papers, helping with projects, and her own invented sport - competitive shopping. Phyllis prided herself on being able to find absolutely anything (a much harder task pre-internet) and to find it on sale. Nothing was truly worth having if it wasn’t a deal. And some things perhaps not so worthy became so because “they were on sale!”

Phyllis was a Christmas devotee and made the holidays magical. She loved crime novels and baked the best carrot cakes. Cakes, plural, because she usually made two - one for the nut lovers and one for those who think nuts in baked goods are criminal. Phyllis was the quiet one. She was an only child and was most comfortable with her closest people. The fact that she was the matriarch of a veritable clown car of a family makes one wonder how she tolerated any of it. But she earned gold medals for patience, tolerance and unyielding, steely support.

Phyllis’ family knew, beyond any doubt, that her love was fierce and unconditional. She would do anything in her power, and then some things that weren’t, to aid any of us. Her definition of “us” was wide, including the villages we brought to her door - a motley collection including friends, spouses, and exchange students. Bob, the extrovert, was known for bringing Phyllis, the quiet yet mighty “big guns,” into difficult service situations, saying, “You can talk to me now, or you can talk to my wife later. Trust me, you don’t want that.”

Phyllis let her people shine and made sure they were showing their best sides and that their lighting was just right. She held us up. Fortunately, she taught us how to hold ourselves up in her absence, but her standards are unreachable and we will never be the same.

We could have included many more of Phyllis’ accomplishments here. But Phyllis let us know, time and time again, that the only accomplishment that truly meant anything to her was her family. We will do everything in our power, and then some things that aren’t, to make her proud.

Phyllis is survived by her husband, Bob, her two daughters (Michelle Myers of Omaha and Kimberly Mayes of Minneapolis), her two sons-in-law that she loved as her own (Scott Myers and Paul Mayes) and the ultimate light of her life, her two grandchildren (Rob Myers and Kaia Mayes).

Memorials preferred to The Friends of the Atkinson Library Foundation, 88364 478th Ave, Atkinson, NE 68713.