Obituary for Phyllis Altimus Haer
Phyllis Altimus Haer, 88, of Mechanicsburg, PA, passed away on Sunday, July 18, 2021, at UPMC West Shore Hospital, Mechanicsburg.
Born on April 16, 1933, in Indiana County, PA, she was the daughter of the late Russell W. and Alice (Hoover) Altimus, and widow of John “Wes” Wesley Haer.
Phyllis graduated from Indiana High School and later attended Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Around this time, she and Wes fell in love and married. Together they raised and doted on two daughters, Cindy and Beth. After her children were grown, Phyllis joined Wes to form a real estate partnership; for more than 30 years, the two helped countless families find their dream homes. Unsurprisingly, Phyllis excelled due to her close client relationships and sharp sense of style and home decor.
Phyllis was a longtime member of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Cathedral in Harrisburg and the West Shore Country Club. Whether playing competitively with her girlfriends or teaching her grandchildren, she loved the game of Bridge. Her active involvement in real estate, the church, and broader community meant that one could hardly accompany her anywhere in town without running into someone she knew.
Phyllis loved her family fiercely. She demonstrated this love in many ways, notably cooking and baking tirelessly at family gatherings (with special attention to individual family members’ favorite foods, including a good jello salad), providing mountains of presents at Christmas, and marveling at each child’s, grandchild’s, and great-grandchild’s accomplishments. No one has ever been more proud of her family than Phyllis.
Many of us will remember Phyllis as being a hard-worker, honest and direct, with a get-it-done attitude. When she felt someone needed “righted”, she’d unleash what one grandson calls her “truth bullets.” Life gave her its challenges, none more significant than Wes’s long illness and eventual death, but she carried on. She worked. She cleaned. She cooked and she smiled. She did whatever needed to get done as long as she could, while still managing to take care of her family and keep an immaculate house (beautifully decorated and lovingly filled with decorative hares and roosters).
Phyllis is survived by two daughters; Cindy Hyman (Larry), and Beth Andrews, a brother; Fred Altemus, six grandchildren, Matthew Hyman (Kristin), Jonathan Hyman (Natalie), Jeremy Hyman, Alison Lucas (Matthew), Colin Andrews (Madeleine Todd), and Noah Andrews, six great-grandchildren; Lucas Hyman, Blake Hyman, Brynn Hyman, Olivia Hyman, Wade Lucas, and Vera Lucas. In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by a son-in-law; John R. Andrews, two brothers; William Altimus and Charles Altemus.
A celebration of Phyllis’ life will be held at 10:00 A.M. on Monday, August 9, 2021, in St. Stephen’s Episcopal Cathedral, 221 N. Front St., Harrisburg, PA, 17101, with the Very Reverend Dr. Amy Doyle Welin, Dean, officiating. A reception for friends and family will be held in the church immediately following the service. Burial will be held following the reception at 1:30 P.M. in Indiantown Gap National Cemetery, Annville. Myers-Baker Funeral & Cremation Services, Camp Hill, has been entrusted with funeral arrangements.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation, 230 East Ohio Street, Suite 500, Chicago, IL 60611, or to St. Stephen’s Episcopal Cathedral.
Born on April 16, 1933, in Indiana County, PA, she was the daughter of the late Russell W. and Alice (Hoover) Altimus, and widow of John “Wes” Wesley Haer.
Phyllis graduated from Indiana High School and later attended Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Around this time, she and Wes fell in love and married. Together they raised and doted on two daughters, Cindy and Beth. After her children were grown, Phyllis joined Wes to form a real estate partnership; for more than 30 years, the two helped countless families find their dream homes. Unsurprisingly, Phyllis excelled due to her close client relationships and sharp sense of style and home decor.
Phyllis was a longtime member of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Cathedral in Harrisburg and the West Shore Country Club. Whether playing competitively with her girlfriends or teaching her grandchildren, she loved the game of Bridge. Her active involvement in real estate, the church, and broader community meant that one could hardly accompany her anywhere in town without running into someone she knew.
Phyllis loved her family fiercely. She demonstrated this love in many ways, notably cooking and baking tirelessly at family gatherings (with special attention to individual family members’ favorite foods, including a good jello salad), providing mountains of presents at Christmas, and marveling at each child’s, grandchild’s, and great-grandchild’s accomplishments. No one has ever been more proud of her family than Phyllis.
Many of us will remember Phyllis as being a hard-worker, honest and direct, with a get-it-done attitude. When she felt someone needed “righted”, she’d unleash what one grandson calls her “truth bullets.” Life gave her its challenges, none more significant than Wes’s long illness and eventual death, but she carried on. She worked. She cleaned. She cooked and she smiled. She did whatever needed to get done as long as she could, while still managing to take care of her family and keep an immaculate house (beautifully decorated and lovingly filled with decorative hares and roosters).
Phyllis is survived by two daughters; Cindy Hyman (Larry), and Beth Andrews, a brother; Fred Altemus, six grandchildren, Matthew Hyman (Kristin), Jonathan Hyman (Natalie), Jeremy Hyman, Alison Lucas (Matthew), Colin Andrews (Madeleine Todd), and Noah Andrews, six great-grandchildren; Lucas Hyman, Blake Hyman, Brynn Hyman, Olivia Hyman, Wade Lucas, and Vera Lucas. In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by a son-in-law; John R. Andrews, two brothers; William Altimus and Charles Altemus.
A celebration of Phyllis’ life will be held at 10:00 A.M. on Monday, August 9, 2021, in St. Stephen’s Episcopal Cathedral, 221 N. Front St., Harrisburg, PA, 17101, with the Very Reverend Dr. Amy Doyle Welin, Dean, officiating. A reception for friends and family will be held in the church immediately following the service. Burial will be held following the reception at 1:30 P.M. in Indiantown Gap National Cemetery, Annville. Myers-Baker Funeral & Cremation Services, Camp Hill, has been entrusted with funeral arrangements.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation, 230 East Ohio Street, Suite 500, Chicago, IL 60611, or to St. Stephen’s Episcopal Cathedral.