The University Lutheran Church community gives thanks for the life of longtime member Phyllis Steele, who died on June 28, 2026 at the age of 82.
Phyllis and her husband, Wendell Rhine, came to the Boston area and joined UniLu in 1985 when Wendell was a research scientist at MIT. Phyllis, who had a doctorate in history, had a distinguished career as an archivist for New England Life Insurance Company. At University Lutheran, Phyllis sang with the choir, served as choir librarian, and worked with other members to set up and organize the UniLu archives. Although Phyllis and Wendell moved to Quincy, Illinois in 2023 to be closer to family, they continued to attend services at UniLu via Zoom. See Phyllis’s obituary, written by Wendell, for more information about her life, family, and career.
Memorial services for Phyllis took place on July 23 at Christ Lutheran Church in Quincy and on August 30 at University Lutheran. Donations in Phyllis’s memory may be made to either Christ Lutheran or UniLu via the Hansen-Spear Funeral Home memorial gifts page.