Phyllis Irene Raff

Phyllis Raff, 87, passed from this life into Jesus’ arms on Wednesday, January 8, 2025.

Funeral services will be held at 2 pm on Tuesday, January 14, 2025, in the Minton Memorial Chapel with Rev. Stan Cosby officiating. Burial will be held at 11 am on Wednesday, January 15, 2025 in Fairview Cemetery in Putnam, Oklahoma.

Phyllis was born February 23, 1937, in Putnam, Oklahoma to C.L. Smith and Norah Kathleen Kappes Smith. The third of four daughters. She was raised on a farm in Western Oklahoma.

She could milk a cow, pluck a chicken, grow a garden and do almost any farming chores with the exception of driving a tractor-which her Daddy wouldn’t allow. He felt it was too dangerous for his girls. She was a very accomplished seamstress. She participated and won numerous 4H competitions in cooking and sewing during her Jr and Senior High School years. She and her mother once designed and sewed a prom dress fabricated with crepe paper. It was amazing. She designed and sewed her wedding dress and the wedding dresses and prom dresses of some of her sisters.

Phyllis graduated as Salutatorian of her Senior Class from Putnam High School in 1953. She excelled at everything she put her hand to. She married Ronald Joe Raff on August 6, 1955, in Clinton, Oklahoma. She worked as a dental assistant as they worked his way through college. She spent her life as a homemaker.

They were blessed with four children daughter, Roneen Leven of Panhandle, Texas, daughter, Jolynne Sweet and husband Jeff of Amarillo, Texas, son, Roger Raff and wife Angie of Borger, Texas, daughter, Melanie Reyes of Lubbock, Texas; nine grandchildren, Daneen (Joe) Velasquez of Amarillo, Jenni (Trevor) Paynter of Prince Edward Island, Canada, Marissa (Jason) Norsworthy of Amarillo, Luke (Tori) Durst of Panhandle, Julie (Jordan) Huff of Houston, Lindsey Raff of Borger, Bethany (Will) Gill of Mustang, Oklahoma, Ross (Brooke) Reyes of Melissa Texas, Hannah Reyes of Lubbock. Texas; and twenty great grandchildren, Michael, Meredith, Madeline, Anslee, Berklee, Dynlee, Carrlee, Lydia, Cooper, Braden, Landon, Alexia, Blair, Holden, Liam, Riggs, Ruby, Reid, and baby Reyes due in June 2025 and Denton.

She is preceded in death by her beloved husband, Ronald Raff; her loving parents, CL and Norah Smith; her parents-in-law, Larson and Bess Raff; brothers-in-law, Bruce Brattin, TJ Crowder; and adored sons-in-law, Glen Leven and Ruben Reyes.

She was a lifetime member of Borger First United Methodist Church and holds many precious friendships from those years in that wonderful church fellowship. She invited Jesus into her heart and was baptized Dec 7, 1947. She could “pinch a penny ‘til it squealed” and could “make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear”. She kept her home running as smoothly as her old Singer sewing machine. She was the mom who made cookies and Kool-Aid for the neighborhood kids.

She is a lover of Jesus and counted the days for her Homecoming to be in His Glory. She is reunited with her precious family and friends who have gone before her. ‘Til we meet again - our dear Mother, our cheerleader, our confidant and our Best Friend. We were so blessed to call you ours. Love you. Love you.