VINCENT - Mary Phyllis Oliver, 84, of Vincent, died at 11:50 a.m. on Wednesday, May 5, 2010 at Muskingum Valley Nursing and Rehabilitation in Beverly. She was born in her parent's Palmer Township family home on March 30, 1926, to Levi Gordon and Florence Hayes Thornberry. She was the first of six children. She graduated from Vincent High School in Vincent, Ohio in 1944. Immediately thereafter she took employment with the Fruit Package & Box Company, in Marietta. On December 12, 1946, Phyllis married her high school sweetheart, Clare Eugene Oliver, also of Vincent, Ohio, and began her life as a homemaker and mother. Phyllis had a great love of genealogy and, over many years, compiled volumes of information detailing the history of the Thornberry-Hayes Family. She was blessed with great intellectual curiosity and studied and read widely throughout her life. Phyllis was most interested in science, horticulture, zoology, and medical publications. Always a supporter of education, she instilled the same love of reading and learning in her children and grandchildren. Phyllis was an active member of the Vincent Grade School Parent Teacher Association during the mid to late 1950's. Throughout her life, she cherished a close circle of special friends. She was always there for them with a helping hand. Phyllis also loved all animals and extended the same support to all God's creatures, great and small. She was a member of the Vincent Presbyterian Church, Vincent, Ohio. Phyllis is survived by five children, L. Joyce (Sam) Hammett of Barlow, Clare Gordon Oliver (known as Sonny) and his wife, Kim, of Louisville, KY, Cynthia Ann (Terry) Cain of Veto, Mary Beth (Mark) Wunderlich of Fleming, and John J. Oliver of Barlow. She is also survived by six grandchildren, Joseph (Alba) Oliver, Jennifer Smallwood, Courtney Oliver and James Oliver, Corey Wunderlich, Lori (Richard) Campola, and Lark Whisper Oliver. There are also five great-grandchildren, Cody Oliver, Kira Oliver, Fox Emmerson Oliver, Jonathan Oliver and Logan Campola. Phyllis is also survived by her brother, Levi Wayne (Hazel) Thornberry of Palmer Township and their children, the children of her late brother-in-law and late sister, Max and Gloria Jean Smith, the children of her late brother-in-law and late sister, Harrison and Veldene Sarver, as well as the children of her brother-in-law and late sister, Dana and Ruth Boord. Phyllis is also survived by the children of her brother-in-law and late sister, Arthur G. and Sara Jo Neal. Phyllis was preceded in death by her parents and husband of fifty-nine years, Clare Eugene Oliver, and by her sisters, Ruth (Dana) Boord, Sara Jo (Arthur G.) Neal, Veldene (Harrison) Sarver, and Gloria Jean (Max) Smith. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 8, 2010 at the Barlow Chapel of Cawley & Peoples Funeral Home. Burial will be in East Lawn Memorial Park, Marietta. Visitation will be from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday at the funeral home.
