Phyllis Maureen Matyasovszky (nee Gilbert)

With heavy hearts, we share the loss of our beloved wife, mother and grandmother. On September 20, 2025, Phyllis Matyasovszky passed away peacefully with family at her side at the Portage District General Hospital after a short, courageous battle with cancer.

Phyllis is lovingly remembered by her husband of 56 years, Emil Matyasovszky; her children and grandchildren: Dan (Kelly), Aidan, Quhyn; Diana (Mark), Ryan, Sarah; Mark (Annemarie), Arron, Benjamin, Jacob, Jordan, Jaxen; her sister, Sylvia Silvester; her brother, John (Linda) Gilbert; her brother in-law, Steve (Donna) Matyasovszky; along with many special nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her parents George and Gladys Gilbert and her brother David Gilbert.

Phyllis was born on January 19, 1947, in Thunder Bay, ON where she was raised on a dairy farm in Slate River Valley and attended a one room schoolhouse. She completed high school at Kingsway College in Oshawa, ON and graduated from Branson Hospital School of Nursing in 1968, where she acquired many life-long friends. She then returned to Thunder Bay to work as an RN at McKeller Hospital. In 1969 she married her husband Emil and began full time dairy farming and devoted herself to raising her three children.

Phyllis and Emil retired from their dairy farm and moved to Portage la Prairie in 2001. She spent her retired life as a devoted grandmother to her nine grandchildren. She took time to build a special bond with each one and loved to challenge them to a game of Uno or Scrabble where her playful spirit often came with a laugh. The memories she created with them will be treasured for a lifetime.

Phyllis is remembered for her deeply loving and caring nature. Her home was always a place of warmth and welcome, where the table was never too full – neighbours, friends and hired help were always invited to share in the meals. She had an appreciation for the simple joys of life and always kept herself busy tending to her garden and filling her freezers with produce. In quiet moments she enjoyed long walks, bike rides, reading and nurturing her creative side with hobbies such as knitting, crocheting and coloring.

Above all, Phyllis’s life was anchored in her faith as a Seventh-Day Adventist Christian. She lived out her faith quietly through daily acts of kindness, service and love for others. She held close the blessed hope of Christ’s return and the promise of eternal life, a hope that continues to comfort us as we look forward to being reunited with her on resurrection day.

Memorial service will be held on Friday, October 3, 2025 at the Herman Prior Activity Centre, Portage la Prairie, MB, at 11:00 am.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Sunset Palliative Care Inc. Box 92, Portage la Prairie, MB, R1N 3B2, www.sunsetpalliativecare.org

A tree will be planted in memory and cared for by McKenzies Portage Funeral Chapel. www.mckenziesportagefuneralchapel.com