Phyllis Jean (Hutt) Tanke, 93, passed away Sunday, May 4, 2014 at the Brookings Hospital with her daughter by her side. Phyllis was born February 14, 1921, to Fred and Agnes (Coulter) Hutt at Ellsworth, MN. At age 5, she and her family moved to Estelline where she attended grade school and high school, graduating in May of 1939. During her younger years, she was employed at two beauty shops, the Estelline Hospital and babysat for many area families. She was also a pitcher on a fastpitch softball team for 11 years. On August 8, 1942 Phyllis married Lee Tanke in Hendricks, MN. She and her husband farmed most of their married life near Bruce and then White, SD. Phyllis was baptized and confirmed in the Evangelical Lutheran Church on May 10, 1944 at Argo Lutheran Church of rural White. She served as a Sunday School teacher for many years and then also as the Sunday School Superintendent. After retiring from farming in 1979, they moved to Estelline where they had purchased her parents home. She attended Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church where she was a member of the Ladies Aid and also served as secretary. Phyllis was also a member of the American Legion Auxiliary, D.E.A. and a member of various extension clubs during her lifetime. While in Estelline she worked at Burretta Brothers Sewing Factory for a short time before becoming employed at Estelline Public School where she was a substitute cook and later a teachers aid in high school. After her husband Lee's death on March 16, 1999, Phyllis moved to Sunchase Apartments in Brookings where she still resided at the time of her death. She was a member of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Brookings. She also enjoyed helping her husband farm, doing crafts flower making, crocheting, embroidery, sewing, reading, bowling, gardening, puzzles, playing cards and visiting with her many friends. She was an active Minnesota Twins fan and watched them faithfully and she also loved playing BINGO. Blessed for having shared her life are her surviving children, twins: Douglas (Donna) of San Tan Valley, AZ and Diane Vander Wal of Volga; daughter-in-law Joyce Tanke of Colman, SD; 14 grandchildren; 32 great grandchildren; one great great grandchild; four step great grandchildren and six step great great grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews; as well as a very special friend, Barry Conatser and his wife Deb and family of Arlington, SD. She was preceded in death by her husband Lee; her parents; daughter Beverly Thue; son Paul Tanke; sons-in-law Dennis Thue and Steven Vander Wal; grandson Kip Hillestad; and great granddaughter Skylar Hunter; brothers, Virgil, Calvin, Darwin and Cyril; and sisters, Marlys Boettcher Johnson and Mavis Ford. Her funeral service will be 10:30 AM, Thursday, May 8, 2014 at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Brookings. Visitation will be from 4PM to 7PM Wednesday at Rude's Funeral Home in Brookings. Burial will be in the Hillcrest Cemetery in Estelline.