Obituaries

Phyllis Norma (DeWitt) Baxter, age 92, of Rudyard, Michigan, passed peacefully into the arms of her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, at Corewell Health in Grand Rapids, Michigan, following a major stroke. She was born on July 6, 1933, in Rudyard to George and Gertrude (Folkersma) DeWitt.

Phyllis was born on DeWitt Farms. Her father passed when she was fifteen, so she did a lot of farm work until graduating high school in 1951. She then moved to Grand Rapids, but after a short time was called home because of her mother’s illness.

Phyllis had worked at War Memorial Hospital, Central Savings Bank, Soo Bottle Gas Company, Rudyard Co-Op, Rudyard-Pickford Co-Op Credit Union, Chippewa Service and Supply Company, and she retired from Midwest Aire Charter Service owned by her brother and nephew.

In 1953, Phyllis and Horace George Baxter were married and lived in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, for seven years. There, they attended First Baptist Church where they were youth directors. They then moved back to Rudyard in 1960, becoming very active in Rudyard Bible Church, where they were youth directors for twenty-five years, sang in the choir, played piano, was church treasurer, and served on the Mission Board. In 1972, the youth group of Rudyard Bible Church paid Horace’s way to the Holy Land and Phyllis went along for a fifteen-day trip. Their ministry was to have service men from Kincheloe Air Force Base for Sunday dinner, occasionally spending the night, and a couple even lived in their home. They never knew a stranger, only potential new friends. For years, the family was known as the Baxter Bunch with Jan (Soprano), Phyllis (Alto), Horace (Tenor), Terry (Bass), and Deb (Piano).

Phyllis loved golf, collecting Precious Moments, knitting dishcloths of which she was given hundreds away, and watching the Detroit Tigers and the Detroit Pistons on television, as well as attending local basketball games.

For the last two months prior to her death, Phyllis moved to Wayland, Michigan, to live with her daughter and son-in-law.

Phyllis is survived by her daughter, Janice (Richard) Williams of Wayland; grandsons, Adam (Kari) Richard and Cody Lee (Jen) Williams; great-grandsons, Bradley Richard and Quintin Lee; great-granddaughter, Scarlett Rose; and daughter-in-law, Debra Baxter of Rudyard.

Phyllis was preceded in death by her loving husband, Horace; son, Terry Dean Baxter; parents, George and Gertrude; sister, Marie (Ray) Postma; and brothers, Wilfred (Laura) DeWitt, Edwin (Joyce) DeWitt, and Ronald DeWitt.

Visitation will be held on Monday, February 16, 2026, from 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM at the Rudyard Bible Church, 11124 West Main Street, Rudyard, MI 49780. The Funeral Service will follow beginning at 5:00 PM.

A Graveside Service will be held in the spring of 2026.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Phyllis’ honor may be made to the Gideons International, 501 Arch St., Spartanburg, SC 29301, or to the Rudyard Bible Church, 11124 West Main Street, Rudyard, MI 49780.

Family Life Funeral Homes – Pickford assisted the family with arrangements. Condolences may be given to the family at www.familylifefh.com.