She was born in Ada, Oklahoma, to Lois Elizabeth and Douglas Holland Hicks. Her early years were spent moving from town to town in Oklahoma and Texas before her parents settled in Austin. She graduated from McCallum High School and the University of Texas at Austin where she was a member of Alpha Chi Omega sorority. On July 22, 1961 she married Joe Jefferson Estill, Jr.

Phyllis was an avid reader; she also loved music and playing the piano. She used these interests in her life to raise her family, serve her church and community, and strengthen her faith.

After spending the first 10 years of her married life in Houston, where her two sons were bom and where she helped lead a Sunday School class of middle school teenagers, she moved to Durham, North Carolina and became active in Christian Assembly Church. In 1980 a move to Bryan/College Station, led her to become involved in the Crisis Pregnancy Center there, as a volunteer and a counselor. In 2004 another move brought her to Mason, her favorite place of all, where she was a member of the praise and worship team at River of Life Church.

Phyllis is survived by her husband, Joe Estill; her son Allen Estill and his wife Laura of Cedar Park, Texas; her son John Estill and wife Tina of Tomball, Texas; sister Pamela Scott and husband John of Mason; and her beloved grandchildren Isabella Grace, Matthew Allen, Jeffrey Luke, Cassandra Hope, Jonathan Douglas, and Emily Ann.

The family has requested that in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Mason Family Center or the charity of your choice.

Visitation with the family will be Wednesday, December 3, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Mason Funeral Home. The funeral service will be Thursday, December 4, at 1:00 p.m. at River of Life Church. Interment will be Friday, December 5, at 2:00 p.m. at the Grapevine Cemetery.