Waneta Belle (Phillips) Markham

Waneta Belle Markham died June 22, 2025, in Cheboygan, Michigan.

She lived an interesting life and in many ways, she was part of a bygone era. She was born Waneta Belle Phillips on her family’s farm November 26, 1939, in Applegate, Michigan. Her parents, Tom and Mildred Phillips, raised her and her brother Keith on the family farm where she would attend the Cash School, a one room country school, until it was time to go to high school in Sandusky, Michigan. She did well in high school, with her involvement in the National Honors Society and graduated in 1957.

She went to work for Michigan Bell Telephone after graduation and shortly after met James Markham of Atlanta, Michigan. They were married on October 14, 1961. She would have a daughter DeLynn in 1962, a daughter Mary (deceased) in 1969 and her son Thomas in 1971.

Waneta loved to learn and was always reading. She was very artistic and she created some beautiful ceramic pieces that will forever be cherished. Waneta and Jim enjoyed creating stained glass pieces together. She got to travel a fair amount, including Paris, Banf and Hawaii to name a few. They both enjoyed cruising in their 1966 Ford Galaxie convertible. One trip they drove the whole Blue Ridge Parkway together. She lost her husband of 37 years in May of 1998, and her dearly loved brother Keith in 2010.

She lived many places supporting her husband in his career, but Madison, Ohio, is where she lived the longest and where she was involved with Meals on Wheels, Bethel class at Chapel United Methodist, and worked every election as an election worker. She learned to swim at Madison’s YMCA in her middle 40’s and would swim the equivalent of the English Channel 2 times and had the patches to prove it. She was fiercely proud of her children’s and her grandchildren’s accomplishments. In her later years she enjoyed the gift of friendship in both Lake Orion and in Cheboygan, she loved to go to breakfast or for fish dinner with her friends and visit.

She is survived by her daughter DeLynn (Doug) Davis of Charleston, West Virginia, their children, Meredith Davis of Seattle, Ross Davis of Charlotte North Carolina, and Anna Davis of Pittsburgh. She is also survived by her son Thomas (Carrie) Markham of Indian River, Michigan, and their three daughters Emily, Elizabeth and Elise Markham.

A Graveside Funeral Service will be Tuesday, July 1, 2025, at 11AM at the Zion Cemetery in Watertown, MI. In lieu of flowers, consider donating to Cheboygan County Council on aging 1531 Sand Road, Cheboygan, MI 49721, or your local meals on wheels.