Phyllis Jean Minnesota

Phyllis Jean Barta Minnesota, age 93, passed away on Monday, March 23, 2026.

She was born in Hastings, Nebraska to Frank Joseph Barta and Sarah (Sadie) Dill Barta on August 11, 1932. At age five, Phyllis was in a car accident with her mother and aunt who were tragically killed. She was in a coma for three days and it was unknown if she would live. Many aunts and uncles helped to raise her and her younger brother Charles. When she finished the fourth grade in Nebraska in 1942, her father remarried Johanna Evers Barta and they relocated to Mountain Home, Idaho below the Anderson Ranch Dam. Phyllis graduated from Mountain Home High School in 1950 where she participated as a member of the Pep Club and The Girls League. During her summers, she worked at a Ranch in Mackay, Idaho where she fished, rode her horse Buckey, and learned to cook and fed all the ranch hands. She also was responsible for caring and feeding many of the animals. But she least liked the smell of cooking fish.

She moved to Pocatello, Idaho after graduation and lived at the YWCA and attended Nurses Training at the Old General Hospital on Center Street. She wanted to become an RN because she loved taking care of people. While attending school, she also worked at Mountain Bell Telephone, Zweigart Meat Packing Plant and Hill Crest Haven.

Phyllis married Frank (Pee Wee) Minnesota in Pocatello, Idaho on March 23, 1957 and they had two children; Larry Samuel and Marian Rose.

Phyllis was a life-long learner and continued learning by taking New Knowledge Adventures (NKA) classes at Idaho State University. Her neighbor (Mr. CJ Lammers) gave her a ride to many of the classes. She also loved taking care of and teaching children which she did so at numerous churches. She was also asked to design the nursery for the New Grace Lutheran Church. She was very proud and felt it was a great honor for her to have been asked! Her greatest joy was in caring for her grandchildren and was a very loving grandmother.

Phyllis loved gardening, cooking, and sewing for her family and kept a loving warm home. There was always the smell of bread in the oven or something on the stove.

Phyllis didn’t remember being baptized as a young child so recently chose to be baptized by Pastor Wayne Shipman as a member of the Presbyterian faith.

Phyllis is survived by her children Larry Minnesota (Cari) and Marian Ristrem; brother Charles Barta and Willis Barta (Norma); six grandchildren Jill Hakes (Rob), Jake Minnesota (Katie), Jared Minnesota (JaNae), Heather Hendricks, Greg Ristrem (Shannon), and Matthew Ristrem; eight great-grandchildren Caleb Hakes, Colton Hakes, Morgan Minnesota, Cooper Minnesota, Kylie Minnesota, Keyan Wright, Brayden Ristrem, and Lainee Ristrem and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, parents and one sister.

A celebration of Phyllis’ life will be held on May 17, 2026 at Centennial Park from 12:00 to 2:00 p.m.

Memories and condolences may be shared by visiting the Guestbook below.