South Paris-Phyllis A. Bancroft, 85, of South Paris, formerly of Albany Township died Wednesday, January 18 at the Maine Veterans Home. Phyllis was born in Bethel on September 19, 1926 the daughter of Guy and Grace P. Clough Morrill. She graduated from Gould Academy in 1945. Phyllis had been employed at New England Telephone, B. E. Cole shoe shop, Francine Shoe, Newton Tibbetts Mill, Youngs Mill and Echo in Locke Mills. She retired from Norway Footwear. Phyllis married Stanley L. Lapham, he died in 1951. She later married William Bancroft in 1955. Phyllis was a member of the West Parish Congregational Church in Bethel, an Alumnus of Gould Academy and a 25 year member of the Pleasant Valley Grange. Survivors include a son, Richard Lapham of Galveston, TX.; a daughter, Judith Lapham Halle and her husband Paul of Lisbon Falls; granddaughter, Stephanie Halle Krolak and her husband Brian and their daughters, Abigail and Madison all of Brunswick; grandson, Gregory Halle of Lisbon Falls and his daughter Sydney Halle of Augusta; sisters, Elizabeth Gilbert of Bethel and Alta Smith of Albany Township and her companion Duke Meserve; sisters-in-law, Muriel Lapham Kimball of South Paris, Agnes Lahti of Norway, Elizabeth "Buzzy" Lapham of Albany Township and Angeline McPheason of Dixfield; and many loving nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her parents, Guy and Grace Morrill; her first husband Stanley L. Lapham; brothers-in-law, Howard Lapham, Walter Lapham, Warren Lapham, Earlon Keniston, Raymond Arsenault, George Gilbert, Bruce Smith, Lauris Millett and Guy Bancroft; sisters-in-law, Myrtle Keniston, Marion Arsenault, Virginia Lapham, Alma Millett, Velma Thompson and Thelma Merrill; and her second husband William O. Bancroft on October 31, 2004. The family wishes to thank Dr. Eshleman and his associates for their wonderful care and the staff at the Maine Veterans Home for their care and compassion.

(Obtained from Chandler Funeral Home)