Phyllis Ruth Goldin was born at St. Boniface Hospital in 1942 and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba. She died October 30, 2020 at home in Prescott, WI, on hospice, following a fall and years of Parkinson’s Disease with Lewy Body dementia.
She completed her Bachelors and Medical Degrees at the University of Manitoba. She was a fiercely proud Canadian and alumna of the U of Manitoba Medical Class of ‘66. Phyllis was a renaissance woman: a physician with a 48 year career, a composer, singer songwriter, pianist, artist, writer. She believed that support of the arts is essential to a community’s vitality and economic strength, and for 15 years wrote the ArtsMinded column for the River Falls Journal (Star Observer).
A liberal activist for peace and justice, Phyllis co-founded and served as Chair of Twin Cities Physicians for Social Responsibility, for decades wrote and performed the Annual Report in song for Women Against Military Madness, was an involved member of Out In The Valley, What We Need Is Here artists’ group, the Pierce County Wisconsin Democratic Party and enthusiastic supporter of public education, most notably the University of Wisconsin River Falls.
Phyllis met her wife Wanda Brown (who survives her) in 1974, at a meeting of Women Poets of the Twin Cities. They married in Victoria, British Columbia, in 2004.
Phyllis is also survived by her brother Hersh (Nina) Goldin, niece Emily (Dan) Publicover, Wanda’s siblings Karen Starr, Sharon Timmons, Steven Brown and their families. Phyllis was deeply loved by an extended family of cousins and devoted friends, gratefully nourished at her generous table. She was preceded in death by her parents, Sophie and Max Goldin and sister Sherry Goldin.
Memorials preferred to the University of Wisconsin River Falls Foundation, 118 North Hall, 410 S. 3rd Street, River Falls WI 54022 USA https://www.uwrf.edu/Give or the Pierce County Wisconsin Democratic Party https://tinyurl.com/DonatePierceDems.
Private interment. Condolences may be addressed in memory of Phyllis Goldin, c/o O’Connell-Benedict Family Funeral Home, 1339 Orrin Road, P.O. Box 154, Prescott, WI 54021.
