Obituary of Phyllis Lamamin

On Monday, May 23, 2016, Phyllis Bonn Kurtz, age 70, passed away in her residence in Carmel, California. She was born on June 15, 1945 in Norfolk, Virginia to Ruth and Douglas Bonn. From an early age, Phyllis was a voracious student eventually earning a Bachelor’s from Pennsylvania State University where she was Valedictorian. She went on to achieve her Master’s Degrees from the University of Maryland and John's Hopkins University. She quickly sought to give back to the institutions she so enjoyed and became a high school teacher at Walt Whitman High School in Bethesda, Maryland. While at Whitman, Phyllis found joy and success in helping students grow and mature; eventually being named the National Home Economics Teacher of the Year in 1989, in part for developing a curriculum that actively crossed generational gaps so that students could hear and assimilate life lessons from the elderly. Phyllis subsequently moved into school administration and finally the private sector but continued to teach to and learn from all those around her. She often professed her favorite moment was seeing the “ah ha” in a learner’s eyes when they discovered something new. Upon her retirement to Carmel, Phyllis became active as a docent for the Monterey Bay Aquarium and at Point Lobos State Natural Reserve, while maintaining ties with her dedicated East Coast Bridge Club family. She established a close-knit network in Carmel and with her fellow Del Mesa residents. She is remembered as having a love of life and being a selfless friend with exceptional talent in whatever she pursued, including her art. Phyllis also was the consummate hostess, who consistently went out of her way to anticipate the needs of others. Left to honor and remember Phyllis’s love are her devoted husband of 23 years, Robert; her sons from previous marriage to Del Lamiman, Darren and Ethan; her step-children, Jennifer and Quinn; her grandchildren, who brought her great happiness, Michael and Sean; her mother, Ruth; and her brothers Keith and Bruce. Services will be on the afternoon of July 9th in Pebble Beach at Church in the Forest, followed by a reception at the Beach and Tennis Club. Please RSVP at rikurtz@earthlink.net. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Girls Inc. of the Central Coast. Service Information