Phyllis R MacIsaac

Phyllis was born in Prince Rupert, British Columbia, Canada. She was the middle child of Albert Bureau and Ethel May (Hampton). When she was three, the family relocated to Kimberley B.C. She attended Watkins and Selkirk schools. After High School, she worked at Marcella’s Dress Shop, where she likely developed her smart sense of style. She moved to Vancouver B.C. to spread her wings a bit and worked as a telephone operator connecting and pulling plugs to direct calls.

Eventually, she moved back to Kimberley, and while working at McDougall Hall, she met Donald MacIsaac from Nova Scotia. He came looking for work at the local Cominco (Sullivan) Mine after serving in the Canadian Army during WWII. They fell in love and were married on June 9, 1949, and remained united for 64 years until Donald’s death in 2014.

In 1957 with four young children in tow, they moved to Southern California and settled in Garden Grove. A fifth child would bless them as well. Donald worked for Richfield Refinery, later ARCO as a pipe fitter. Phyllis was a stay at home mother. She took in babysitting jobs during the week and cleaned houses on the weekends to help make ends meet. When her youngest was five, she got a job working with her best friend across the street, MaryAnn Reese. They worked at Collins Radio, later Rockwell, and created circuit boards for the Apollo Space Program. She was enormously proud of her work there.

Her love of cooking has passed down to many of her children. She could always be found in the kitchen, donning her apron. Famous for her shortbread cookies, stuffed flank steak, Saturday night tacos, and Sunday roasts. These and countless other recipes that have become family traditions. The table was always ready to host family and friends, and everyone was welcome. She kept an immaculate home and was quite the seamstress, enjoying needlepoint, crochet and knitted countless dishcloths. She enthusiastically enjoyed Bunco and playing Bingo with her grandkids.

Most summers, they spent traveling to visit her kids and grandchildren in the Northwest, as well as relatives and friends left behind in Canada. Phyllis was a devoted wife and loving mother, grandmother (Nana), and great grandmother. She and Donald were devoted Roman Catholics. Phyllis attended Sunday mass wearing her favorite color, purple. She endlessly and forever put others before herself.

Phyllis leaves behind one brother-in-law Malcom MacIsaac, her children, Lawrence, Gregory (Barbara) Debrah (David), Heather (Mickey), Michael (Mark), ten grandchildren, sixteen great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. She was proceeded in death by firstborn Donnie MacIsaac, husband Donald MacIsaac, her parents Albert and Ethel Bureau, sister, Alice Clarricoates, brother Roy Bureau, and daughter in law Wanda MacIsaac.

The family would like to thank Candlelight Home and Hospice for their loving care.

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