Phyllis Mc Meen Du Bois' Obituary
Phyllis M. Du Bois, 86, a 53-year resident of San Carlos and longtime member of the San Carlos Rotary Club, died peacefully after a short illness on Friday, March 17, 2023, at Good Samaritan Hospital in San Jose. She was an avid oil painter and loved movies, jazz and symphony concerts, musical theater, photography, travel and reading.
Born on Jan. 24, 1937, in Denver, Phyllis lived in Arlington, VA, Narragansett Bay, RI, Evanston, IL, and Denver again before her parents moved to Southern California in 1946 and settled in Woodland Hills. During her youth, Phyllis studied acting, dancing (ballet, jazz, and tap), modeling, piano, and singing. As a teen, she performed in a musical revue on a weekly variety show at the NBC affiliate in Los Angeles. She graduated from Canoga Park High School in 1954 and was class valedictorian.
After one year at USC, Phyllis transferred to UCLA where she was homecoming queen in 1957; a member of the Mortar Board, a senior women’s honorary scholastic society; the student body song leader for two years; and a member of the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority. During college, she won the “Miss Woodland Hills” beauty pageant in 1956. She also worked in public relations for Universal Studios and traveled on a national tour to promote the film “Written on the Wind.”
Phyllis graduated with a B.A. degree in liberal arts from UCLA in 1958 and received a general elementary education teaching credential from UCLA in January 1959.
After marrying Grant P. (“Pete”) Du Bois Jr. in May 1959 and honeymooning in Waikiki Beach, they moved to Alexandria, VA, where Pete was assigned to the U.S. Army Counter Intelligence Corps in Washington, D.C. Phyllis worked as a secretary for a life insurance agency. In September 1960, the Army honorably discharged Pete, who started at Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco. Phyllis worked as a secretary for Readers’ Digest and for a TV ad placement agency that serviced Bay Area companies such as Hills Brothers Coffee, Spreckels Sugar and Clorox Co.
Phyllis gave birth to a son, Grant, in June 1962 and to a daughter, Deanna, in April 1964 and became a full-time homemaker to support Pete’s career as an associate, partner and managing partner at Bronson, Bronson & McKinnon Law Firm in San Francisco.
In 1973, Phyllis revived her childhood interest in sketching by taking oil painting lessons, displaying her paintings in San Carlos businesses and occasionally selling them for 45 years. Her painting style was traditional with subjects such as figures, animals, landscapes, seascapes and familiar landmarks in the Bay Area and abroad. She drew inspiration from her photographs, and many of her paintings expressed her love of animals and nature.
In 1992, Phyllis joined the San Carlos Rotary Club because “it was time for me step out and contribute.” She served as president for one year, a board director for five years, co-chair of the San Carlos Hometown Days Fun Run for 10 years and as newsletter editor for one year. She also funded five Paul Harris Fellows and attended two Rotary International Conventions.
Phyllis is survived by her son, Grant P. Du Bois III (daughter-in-law Carrie B. Du Bois); her daughter, Deanna Du Bois-Thiele (son-in-law Douglas J. Thiele); and three grandsons, Peter E. Du Bois, Blake R. Du Bois, and Joseph B. Du Bois. Phyllis is predeceased by her husband, Pete, 53, in 1990; her father, Robert E. McMeen, 91, in 2002; and her mother, Ruth A. McMeen, 93, in 2004.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2023, at Skylawn Funeral Home, Highway 92 at Skyline Blvd., in San Mateo. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the San Carlos Rotary Club Endowment Fund.
Please reach out to Skylawn Funeral Home with questions or concerns regarding health and safety, parking and facilities, as well as questions about the Memorial Park.
The hours of operation are Monday through Sunday, 8:30am-5:00pm.
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