"Phyllis T. Garbe, 86, of Andover, NY, died Friday, July 15, 2011 at Robert Packer Hospital in Sayre, PA.
She was born on October 13, 1924 to Joseph and Edna (Vose) Tucker in West Warwick, Rhode Island. Aspiring to be a fashion designer, she studied at the Rhode Island School of Design. Instead, she met George Garbe, a naval pilot, whom she married in 1945.
They moved to Garden City, NY after WWII where Phyllis raised two children, William and Elizabeth. Once the children started to attend school, Phyllis worked at the Waldorf School of Garden City, where she served in several capacities -- assistant in the Financial Office, executive secretary to the Headmaster, and a pre-school teacher.
In 1985 Phyllis and George retired and moved permanently into the vacation home they had built on Gull Pond in Greenport, NY. Phyllis used her Waldorf teaching experience to help revive the Orient pre-school program which she directed from 1989 to 1994.
Mrs. Garbe is survived by her daughter, Elizabeth (Joseph) Menichino of Andover, NY; her granddaughter, Mariah (Ben Crabtree) Menichino of Baltimore, MD; her grandson, Joseph (Katie Ward) Menichino and great-granddaughter, Velocity Menichino, of Olean, NY. Her husband pre-deceased her in 2009."
At the request of Phyllis all services will be private at the convenience of the family. Memories and condolences for Phyllis's family may be shared by visiting our website at www.tiogapointcremation.com. Caring assistance is being provided by the Cooley-Tioga Point Cremation and Burial Options, Inc., 802 N. Main St., Athens, PA 18810.