A PERFECT DAY:

By Norma Dittman “It was a perfect day,” Phyllis Steinman said of her 100th birthday party, held on her special day, August 22nd. The Fulda Senior Center was filled to capacity with those who came to honor this lady who held a special place in their lives.

Steinman was born on a farm near Wessington, SD. “The doctor came to the farm to bring me into this world,” she remarked. “I’ve had an interesting life and one that I have enjoyed very much.”

Her parents were Thelma and Gilbert Dessonville. “It’s a Belgian name. I had the opportunity during the party to visit with my Belgian relatives...via the internet. I could see and hear them as clear as could be.”

When Phyllis was four years old, her family moved to a farm near Worthington, MN, due to grasshoppers and drought destroying their crop two years in a row. “My mom’s parents were from Worthington, so that is why we came to live close to them. The country school that I attended is now a church with a cemetery. It was only a quarter mile from home, on the highway, and mom would walk me to school.” Steinman said. “Mrs. Harper, who owned a dress shop in Worthington, owned the farm house we rented. She had it all modern inside - electric and plumbing. When she sold that house, we moved to Reading.

“I took a school bus to the brick school there. It is still standing. And when the Reading farm sold, we moved six miles north of Worthington.” Steinman stated. “I had to walk to school, but I have a great story about that. One day, the neighbor met me on the road. He was carrying a good sized box. He said, ‘Phyllis, would you like to take care of this little lamb? It will need extra attention that I don’t have time to give it. So, I took that lamb home, named it Mary, and took good care of it. That lamb was the sweetest thing. She’d follow us everywhere we went. She even learned to open the door of the house and she’d just come walking in. My dad liked Mary so well that he went out and bought a dozen lambs.”

The family soon moved east of Worthington where Phyllis again had to walk to school. She graduated 8th grade from country school and the following year, took a bus to Worthington High School until her graduation day.

Following graduation, Phyllis attended the University of Minnesota for six months, taking courses for nursing. “I came home at Christmas and announced that I was not going back to school there. I enrolled at the Rogers and Benners School of Beauty in Minneapolis,” she explained. “Why I chose that, I don’t really know. But, looking back, it was a very good choice.”

By this time, she had become engaged to Duane Steinman. “He was a wonderful husband and dad. I’m so glad that I married him. We went to school together, but just said an occasional hello to one another. One day, I mailed a letter at the Thompson Hotel mailbox. Duane’s friend, Bill, was working and Duane was waiting for him. Duane greeted me, and I said hello, then as I turned to walk away, he siad, ‘Well, stuck-up, aren’t you going to talk for a while?’ So, I sat down and visited with him and that was the beginning of a wonderful relationship,” Steinman said. The couple were married on June 20, 1947.

Finished with beauty school, she worked for Phil Fiola’s barber shop in Worthington for ten years.

“Duane and I were living near Worthington on a farm, but one day we came to Fulda to purchase chairs from Reusse Furniture,” Steinman chuckled. “One of the guys in the store said to me, ‘Go look at the beauty shop that’s for sale!’ We bought our chairs and on our way out the door, he yelled at me, ‘Go look at the beauty shop that’s for sale!’ So we went and looked. On our way out of the beauty shop, Duane turned around and threw a monetary offer to the owner. She quickly replied, ‘Sold!’ That’s how I bought Neat Top Beauty Shop.”

“When Duane came to Fulda to look for a house for us, this house was the only one for sale. I thought it was a bit small for us, but it has worked out just great!” Steinman stated.

Duane fought many health problems throughout the years. One year, he had to be in the hospital in Minneapolis for several months. It was during that time that Phyllis took it upon herself to build a new salon onto the side of their home... without telling Duane. “The purpose was that Duane was going to need on-going care when he did come home, and by building the salon, I woul always be available to help him,” Steinman said.

At first Duane was not convinced it was a great move on Phyllis’ part, but eventually, he told her that it was the best thing she had ever done. In fact, he was so impressed that, when he was well enough, he went to beauty school in Sioux Falls and then joined Phyllis in the salon. “Oh, he did everything - cuts, coloring, styling, manicures - all of it, and he was really good at it!”

When Phyllis retired after 42 years of doing hair, the add-on salon became a home for first her mother, and then Duane’s father. “They had their own entrance for company and going out, but we had our meals together. It worked out really well.”

Once retired, Phyllis took four European trips where she enjoyed seeing many different sites. She also spent 14 winters in Arizona, and enjoyed her time with folks that she met there.

Phyllis and Duane had two daughters: Vicki and Alana. Vicki, and her husband, Barry Ommen, live in Windom. Alana, and her husband, Bill Bunkers, live in Owatonna. There are five grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. Each and every one had their own part in Phyllis’ 100th party which was six months in the planning..

Although she has seen many changes over the past 100 years, Phyllis said she recalls times when people seemed much happier. “People were very happy and friendly. They would help one another. Even if you didn’t have much money, you could spend a little bit and go dancing, to a movie, out to play cards, visiting one another. People don’t seem as friendly now, and I think Covid had a lot to do with that. My wish is that people could be happy and enjoy living a little more once again.”

“That said, I’m truly grateful for each and every one who came to celebrate my 100 years with me. I had so much fun, and saw so many people! I will never forget the day and what it meant to me to hear all the words of love and kindness,” Steinman stated. “Those are beautiful gifts I will always treasure.”