Phyllis Allen Eifert passed away peacefully in the company of her family on March 12, 2018.

She had a full and happy life of family, friends and service to the arts and the community of Tryon, North Carolina, where she called home. Beloved wife of Donald Eifert for 64 years and devoted mother to Philip (Debbie), Alan and Laura Lee (Tad).  She was loving grandmother to Whit, Scott, Nina, Jane, Helen, Payne and Turner. 

The world of horses played a major role in the life of Phyllis.  Born in Lynchburg, Virginia, Jan. 13, 1932, she began to ride at the age of 6. Whenever she had the opportunity, she fox hunted with Bedford County Hounds, and exhibited in local horse shows. In college in Pennsylvania, she capped with the Cheshire Hounds and exhibited and won inter collegiate horse shows including the Harrisburg National.  While living in Bedford, New York, Phyllis raised cross-bred hunter ponies. 

After receiving her bachelor’s of fine arts from Penn Hall, she continued her art education at Moore Institute of Art, The Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and The Barnes Foundation.  Her drawings and paintings were exhibited in many art shows, including the prestigious Academy Annual.

Following art school, Phyllis was a fabric designer, an illustrator, advertising art director and a source of collectable hunting sculptures for Abercrombie & Fitch in New York City.  She later continued studies in sculpture and bronze casting at State University of New York and produced limited editions in bronze.  Her published art book, “Sixty Two Years of Drawing, Painting and Sculpture” (Xlibris Co.) detailed the expansive repertory of her artistic accomplishments.

She and her husband, Don, moved to Tryon in 1987, where she continued to pursue her lifelong interest in horses as a hunting member of Tryon Hounds and as a nationally prominent sculptor of papier mache and bronze works celebrating the elegance and grace of her favorite subject, the horse. She was exhibited extensively in this country and abroad. Her work has won numerous awards, and is represented in many public and private collections.

She will be sorely missed by the many friends and family she touched with her wit, friendship, creativity and love.

A memorial service will be held on Sunday, March 18, 2018, at 1 p.m. in the McFarland Funeral Chapel, Tryon, officiated by the Rev. Hunter Coleman.

A reception will follow the service at Stone Soup, 1522 E Rutherford St., Landrum, South Carolina.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the St. Luke’s Hospital Foundation, 89 West Mills St., Columbus NC 28722 or The Tryon Fine Arts Center, 34 Melrose Ave., Tryon NC 28782.

An online guest register is available at www.mcfarlandfuneralchapel.com

McFarland Funeral Chapel & Crematory, Tryon