Phyllis Gay (Coffman) Peterson

Phyllis Peterson, 77, beloved Mother, Mother-in-law, Daughter, Spouse, Sister, Aunt, and Grandmother, was called to her eternal home with her Lord on Friday, December 23, 2022. She was born on Tuesday, January 23, 1945, in Big Spring, TX., to Deane and Fayne Coffman.

She is survived by her son, Jeffrey Peterson and daughter-in-law, Beth Peterson of Albuquerque; brother, Gaylan Coffman and sister-in-law, Elena Coffman of Albuquerque; sister, Deborah Dennis and brother-in-law, Mike Dennis of Kansas; nephew, Chad Coffman of Arizona; granddaughter, Ainsley Peterson of Arizona and grandson, Jordan Grizel of California.

Phyllis primarily grew up in Albuquerque attending Sandia High School and UNM and was a finalist in the Miss Albuquerque pageant in 1964. She also lived in Bolivia and Nigeria with her family while her father taught agriculture. It was during this time that she traveled abroad and developed a lifelong fondness for Egypt. Phyllis left Albuquerque to become an airline hostess with United Airlines and was home-based in Chicago where she met her husband Robert (Bob) Peterson. She is preceded in death by Bob who succumbed to Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma shortly after their son's first birthday.

Phyllis returned to Albuquerque finishing her degree at UNM and enjoyed a colorful career including stockbroker with Dean Witter, realtor, real-estate appraiser, retail, telecommunications, and sales all as a single mother. She briefly lived and worked in Austin but ultimately returned to Albuquerque.

She had great fashion sense, was a pro at accessorizing with scarves and jewelry and took pride in being put together. She was independent, self-assured, and well-spoken with a vocabulary beyond reproach and had a competitive spirit. She had a vast array of hobbies including Bible study, gardening, jewelry-making, volunteering, and Egyptology and was an avid movie watcher. She was an extraordinary cook and loved experimenting with recipes, putting her own spin on dishes, especially with her Szechwan favorites. Wherever she lived or visited she enjoyed exploring her surroundings and sharing her experiences with family and friends, especially her son and grandchildren. Phyllis was a Christian and was a member of Trinity at The Marketplace church in Albuquerque. Although she wrestled with failing health towards the end, she rejoiced knowing the best was still to come.

A private celebration will be held for Phyllis in the future.

Should friends desire, memorial contributions can be made to:
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society ' Blood Cancer Leaders ' LLS : https://www.lls.org/

Trinity @ The Marketplace
2520 Chama NE Albuquerque, NM 87110
1-505-293-3160
https://www.trinityabq.org