Phyllis NeSmith, a former president and long-time member of the Florida Storytelling Association, passed away in August. She was 94.
She was a well-known Florida storyteller who teamed with her friend and fellow storyteller Myra Davis of Bartow to perform as the “Peace River Tale Tellers”.
Both Phyllis and Myra were retired schoolteachers who had used storytelling in the classroom.
After she left the classroom, Phyllis also served on the DeSoto County School Board for eight years.
In a 2001 interview in the Tampa Tribune, Phyllis said they chose the name from the Peace River which starts in Polk County and flows through Central Florida.
“As the river flows, so do our stories,” said Phyllis. At that point they had been sharing stories together for more than six years.
They had met at a FSA story camp in 1992 where she told her first story that wasn’t in a classroom.
The two became Artists in Residence for Florida Department of Cultural Affairs as well as artists-in-schools for Hillsborough and Dade counties. During the 1990s and into the 2000s, they traveled throughout the South, conducting workshops and sharing stories. They worked in Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, Louisiana, Arkansas, North Carolina, Mississippi and Tennessee.
Both were active in various festivals in Florida, including the Iron Mountain Festival at Bok Tower, and the Cracker Storytelling Festival in Polk County. Myra eventually relocated to Louisiana where she continued to work in storytelling.
Phyllis was a force in the storytelling world and a great role-model for those who were lucky enough to enjoy her leadership and talents.
In 2007, Phyllis received the Florida Storytelling Association’s Annette J. Bruce Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2007, she told the Sarasota Herald-Tribune that she cried when she received the award. “I was shocked,” she said.
She told the newspaper that she had hosted a retreat for past FSA presidents at her husband’s family home in Nocatee in 1976.
Storyteller and FSA Board Member Pat Nease recalls that Phyllis and Myra “made a terrific tandem team that performed for the Florida Festival” and that “she was beloved by many and will be missed. “
She resided on Little Gasparilla Island for many years.
Oh, my. How to express the loss I feel with Phyllis no longer in this world. She was a strong, smart, determined, funny, delightful person who did not suffer fools. She knew how to tell a tale. A stalwart supporter of storytellers, Phyllis had a vision for FSA and helped define it in ways we still use. She knew the power of story. She knew the value of friendship. And, I hope, she knew she was loved.
Thank you for the tribute to Phyllis. I remember hearing her and Myra tell together — what a treat! I appreciate this opportunity to learn more about her contributions to the health and longevity of FSA.
Yes, Phyllis will be missed. She practiced hospitality and hosted story concerts. She volunteered with the Little Gasparilla Sea Turtle Watch teams. She could turn on a dime and pull out a story to match the venue. I watched her jump at the chance to tell a story and impromptu performed ‘Prinderella’; she held the audience in her hand. She was full of life, love & laughter.
Well said Jessica and so true. Any audience any venue.
She will be missed.
Mij
Jessica, I was remembering that very same moment. She was true raconteur. Miss her.
Oh, Phyllis is missed… but her spirit and stories are so ingrained in our hearts that she will never be forgotten! Her example and energy and love and leadership will continue to inspire. Toasting her with a shot of really good tequila and some fresh orange and cinnamon… only one of many things this incredible woman taught me. Yeah, she is missed.
It seems impossible that the force of nature that was Phyllis NeSmith could have passed from the world. Her spirit, her talent, her sly wit are unforgettable. She was a magnificent storyteller and a strong advocate for storytelling. She was also a generous friend, opening her family’s homes on Little Gasparilla Island to house the storytellers who came to perform at her annual Memorial Day concert. Being part of those relaxed gatherings was a rich experience and a great pleasure. I too was present on the occasion Phyllis told ‘Prinderella’ to a late night bar crowd in Panama City. It was a treat to watch a roomful of skeptics become captivated by the power and humor of her storytelling. No one but Phyllis could have won them over with such panache. We’ve lost a treasure.