Have you ever thought about who first taught you how to use a pedigree chart or a family group sheet? While my grandmother asked the question that started my genealogy journey, it was my mother-in-law, JoAnne Philbrick, who helped me get started.
It was likely the summer of 1977 or 1978, when I traveled to my in-laws in Phillipsburg after having visited my grandmother. Knowing that my mother-in-law was actively researching her family, I asked her how to get started. JoAnne patiently showed me how to create a pedigree chart and gave me a blank chart along with a black family group sheet. She also introduced me to Everton’s Genealogical Helper and suggested I purchase Val Greenwood’s book, The Researcher’s Guide to Genealogy.
Not only did that start my genealogy journey, but it also started my husband’s genealogy journey. During a family vacation to Salt Lake City, my husband ‘revolted’ and insisted that he was going to research his own family instead of helping me research mine. Thus, he took over what I had on his family.
Today, my husband and I are in Phillipsburg, Kansas to celebrate the life of his mother, Tresa JoAnne Strohmeier Philbrick Miller.
As the family historian, my husband compiled an obituary for his mother. Since he had heard me talk about the ways in which I utilize ChatGPT, he asked me to help him use ChatGPT with the obituary. The prompt was simple: “Can you improve on the following obituary without glorifying the information” followed by the obituary my husband had written.
Below is the obituary as edited by ChatGPT
Tresa Joanne Strohmeier Philbrick Miller
May 8, 1935 – November 12, 2024Tresa Joanne Strohmeier, known throughout her life as “Joanne,” passed away on November 12, 2024, at the Phillips County Retirement Center in Phillipsburg, Kansas. She was born on May 8, 1935, in Farmington Township, Rooks County, Kansas, the only child of Nicholas James and Ilah Leona (Griffith) Strohmeier. Joanne’s parents later divorced, and she was raised primarily by her mother and maternal grandparents, Franklin and Ellen (Jerby) Griffith.
Joanne spent much of her childhood on her grandparents’ farm in Rooks County, where she developed a strong sense of family and community. Her early education began in country schools, where her mother taught. During World War II, Joanne moved with her mother to Stockton, Kansas, and attended Stockton Public Schools. It was also during this time that the Griffith family held annual reunions in Stockton, with Joanne often helping to care for her younger cousins as the oldest.
In the late 1940s, Joanne’s family relocated to Kensington, Kansas, where she was enrolled in the local school system. It was here she met Donald Dean Philbrick, the nephew of her Aunt Mae McLaughlin’s neighbor. Joanne and Donald were married on March 30, 1952, at the Methodist parsonage in Osborne, Kansas, while Joanne was still in high school. She graduated as valedictorian of her class in 1953.
After marriage, Joanne and Donald started their family in Kensington before moving to Phillipsburg in 1956, where they would make their home. Joanne became a widow in 1985, after Donald’s passing. She spent her later years in Phillipsburg, where she moved eight times within the city before settling at the Phillips County Retirement Center in 2021.
Joanne was deeply involved in her community and church. In Kensington, she was a member of the Women’s Society of Christian Service, and in Phillipsburg, she joined several local organizations, including the Phillips County Genealogical Society, where she served in various roles, including president. She was instrumental in the formation of the Quad County Singles Club in the late 1980s or early 1990s. Joanne’s interests in genealogy led her to connect with long-lost relatives on her father’s side, providing her with answers to many family mysteries and forming new bonds.
In 1992, Joanne married James I. “Jim” Miller, a retired government surveyor who had recently moved back to Phillips County. Together, they enjoyed traveling to places Jim had surveyed, including Washington, Oregon, and various destinations across the U.S. Joanne also enjoyed visiting thrift stores and attending auctions, always on the lookout for a treasure or collectible.
Joanne worked in various jobs throughout her life, including as a clerk at J.C. Penney and as an account clerk for Kansas-Nebraska Energy, where she retired in 1992. In her retirement, she helped Jim with his surveying business and assisted with bringing the company into the digital age.
Joanne was a devoted mother and grandmother. She was a regular and enthusiastic supporter of her children’s and later, her grandchildren’s sports activities. For over 30 years, she could be found cheering from the sidelines of football games, basketball courts, and track events. Her love for her family was unwavering, and she took great joy in watching the next generation grow.
Joanne was preceded in death by her first husband, Donald Philbrick; second husband, James Miller; her mother, Ilah Suhr; stepfather, Gilbert Suhr; and her father, Nicholas Strohmeier.
She is survived by her children: Michael Philbrick and wife Marcia of Seneca, Kansas; Eugene Philbrick and wife Vickie of Wichita, Kansas; Gregg Philbrick and wife Susan of Sugar Land, Texas; and Stacey Moon and husband Darin of Phillipsburg, Kansas. She is also survived by four grandsons, Jason, Eric, Ryan, and Nathan; two granddaughters, Ashley and Anne; and four great-grandchildren.
A funeral service for Joanne will be held on Monday, November 18, 2024, at 2:00 p.m. at Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel in Phillipsburg, Kansas, with Pastor Darlene Sheffer officiating and Pastor Anne Williams assisting. The service will be livestreamed on the Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel Facebook page. Burial will follow at Fairview Cemetery in Phillipsburg.
Joanne will lie in state at Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel on Saturday and Sunday, November 16 and 17, from 12:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Phillips County Retirement Center or the Phillips County Genealogical Society.
The original obituary as written by my husband:
Mom’s Obit
Tresa Joanne Strohmeier was born in Farmington Township, Rooks County, Kansas, on 8 May 1935. She was the first and only child of Nicholas James and Ilah Leona (Griffith) Strohmeier. They later divorced. As a child, she was known as Joanne and being known by that name to the end of her life on 12 November 2024 at the Phillips County Retirement Center, Phillipsburg, Kansas.
Joanne spent much of her early life at the farm of her grandparents, Franklin and Ellen (Jerby) Griffith. She began her schooling as a country school student as her mother was a country schoolteacher. During WWII, she moved to Stockton and attended Stockton Public Schools. Also, during the WWII timeframe, the Franklin Griffith descendants had yearly Griffith Reunions in Stockton. Joanne was usually oldest of the cousins attending so put in charge of younger cousins.
After WWII, Gilbert Walter Suhr and Joanne’s mother Ilah married and Gib became her stepfather. It was during subsequent years when she was visiting her Aunt Mae McLaughlin in Glade, Kansas, that she met Mae’s neighbor’s nephew, Donald Dean Philbrick. Gib took a job offer that moved the family to Kensington around January 1949. Joanne was less than thrilled to be moving as an 8th grader to a new town where she knew no one. She learned on arriving in Kensington that Donald was student in the Kensington school system. Joanne graduated as a member of 8th grade class in 1949. She continued her education at Kensington High School.
During high school, this Kensington Goldbug was a cheerleader, member of the band playing the saxophone, football attendant, Kayette member and . Out of school activities included Busy Bee 4H club attending Rock Springs 4H camp near Junction City in 1950. While still in high school, she and Donald were married on 30 Mar 1952 at the Methodist parsonage in Osborne, Kansas. She continued her education becoming the 1953 class valedictorian in May.
Joanne and Donald started their family in Kensington, but about October 1956 moved to Phillipsburg for the remainder of her life. She became a widow in 1985 when Donald passed. She had lived in eight residences around town before moving to the Phillips County Retirement Center during the 2021 fall.
While living in Kensington, she was a member of the Women’s Society of Christian Service and for a time being secretary. After moving to Phillipsburg, she belonged to many organizations. In the 1960s she was a member of the Kansas Federation of Womens Clubs called Mother’s Club of Phillipsburg. It is believed she was a charter member of the Phillips County Genealogical Society dedicating time and energy com in the genealogy room in the Phillipsburg Library. She served in many roles within this organization including the office of president. Being single, in the late 1980s or early 1990s, she was instrumental in the formation of the Quad County Singles Club. A single, retired government surveyor moved back home to Phillips County. His name was James I “Jim” Miller. He attended a single club event and met Joanne. A relationship developed and on 27 Nov 1992, Joanne and James were married in the Williams Chapel at the Phillipsburg United Methodist Church. In this timeline, she also was a member of the Charme’ Club. She was a member of the United Methodist Church and participated in the United Methodist Womens group.
Once her children reached sports participation age in the early 1960s, she was an avid attendee and supporter of her children for approximately twenty five years. About 25 years later, she began following her grandsons’ sports competitions for over another 10 years.
In the 1970s, she found time to take up the hobby of genealogy for both her family and her husband Donald’s family. By the 1990s she was focusing on learning about her Strohmeier as she never met her biological father. She connected with her Strohmeier relatives and eventually met some uncles, aunts and cousins. These interactions provided answers to some long time questions and new friendships.
In the Phillipsburg business world, she held odd jobs such as cleaning the Masonic Temple, and then full-time employment clerking at the JC Penney store. She made a career move to account clerking with Kansas-Nebraska Energy. She retired from KN Energy in 1992.
In retirement, she convinced Jim to start a surveying business and helped move it into the computer age. She was his helper on many projects. Jim was adventurous so he took Joanne to see places he had surveyed such as Washington and Oregon. They took vacations to attractions in Florida, New York, Texas, and of course, Branson, Missouri. She enjoyed visiting thrift stores hoping to find a treasure and attending auctions hoping to bring home a collectible.
She is preceded in death by her first husband Donald Philbrick, second husband James Miller, her mother Ilah Suhr, step-father Gilbert Suhr, and father Nicholas Strohmeier.
Survivors include sons Michael Philbrick and wife Marcia of Seneca, Kansas, Eugene Philbrick and wife Vickie of Wichita, Kansas, and Gregg Philbrick and wife Susan of Sugar Land, Texas, daughter Stacey Moon and husband Darin of Phillipsburg, Kansas, as well as 4 grandsons, Jason, Eric, Ryan and Nathan, 2 granddaughters, Ashley and Anne, and 4 great grandchildren.
A funeral service for Joanne will be held on Monday, November 18, 2024, at 2:00 p.m., at the Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel, in Phillipsburg, Kansas, with Pastor Darlene Sheffer officiating and Pastor Anne Williams assisting. The funeral service will be streamed live on the Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel Facebook Page. Burial will folllow at Fairview Cemetery in Phillipsburg.
Joanne will lie in state on Saturday from 12 p.m.to 9 p.m., and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel in Phillipsburg, Kansas.
Memorial Contributions may be made to the Phillips County Retirement Center or the Phillips County Genealogical Society.