Phyllis I. (Brown) Jakes, 88, of Great Falls and a former Belt resident, passed away on October 1, 2026. A beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and aunt, was united with our Lord and all family and friends in heaven. She passed peacefully of natural causes, surrounded by the love of her family.
Memorial services will be held on October 10, 2026, at 11 a.m. at Saint John’s Lutheran Church, 5300 9th Avenue South. A reception will immediately follow. Croxford Funeral Home is handling the arrangements. She will be laid to rest in Belt Pleasant View Cemetery following the reception.
Phyllis was born in 1938 to Mabel Goodman and Frank Brown in Belt, Montana. She was the fifth of six children. After high school, she worked in Great Falls at the A&W Drive-In for the Ryan family. Later, she worked as a manager for Super Save Food & Drug store in Great Falls.
In October of 1960, she married Earl Jakes of Roy, Montana, in the First Methodist church in Great Falls. In 1962, they returned to Belt and raised their four children. She worked at Belt Valley Bank, and over the next 25 years, she and Earl became owners of 5 J’s Café and Jakes Valley Lanes.
She was a huge fan and very active with the Belt Valley Huskies athletics and held many offices when her children were in school. She was very proud of their achievements and success in their education and sports (basketball) with the Belt Huskies. Phyllis was especially proud of her hometown, Belt, her family, friends, church friends, Eastern Star, and a lifetime member of the VFW and Eagles lodges.
In later years, Earl and Phyllis moved back to Great Falls. Phyllis then began a twenty-year career with the Great Falls School District as a food service manager. She had a strong work ethic and received an award for ten years of perfect attendance. She loved being around the young students as she spoiled them dearly! She loved being out in the public and served ten years as a “Demo Lady” in the grocery stores. She loved her churches in Belt and Great Falls and especially helping with the summer gospel concert with the Johnson Brothers Band for twenty years. Phyllis also sang with the choir at Saint John’s Lutheran Church. She loved dancing and country music trips to Branson, Missouri, and Nashville, Tennessee.
After her retirement from the School District, she joined the Swinging Seniors music group, singing for many years at the nursing and retirement homes. She loved spending time in her yard caring for her beautiful flowers and shrubbery. Phyllis maintained a special place in her heart for her cats, especially Lucky. She loved to cook and passed her passion on to her son Duane, niece Joni and grandsons, Brad and Scott Kauffman.
She was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, sisters: Beverly Brown Stroop and Ruth Schaper Royal; brothers; Alvin Brown and Henry Brown. She is survived by Sherry (John) Kauffman, Trudy (Jean Rolando) Jakes, Jody (Bill) Jakes Benton, Duane (Tiffany Bell) Jakes. Grandchildren Brad (Cathy) Kauffman, Scott (Barbara) Kauffman. Great-grandchildren Julianne Kauffman, Addison Kauffman, Aiden Kauffman, Destiny King, William (Kimberly) King and great-great-grandson, Nathan King, special niece Joni (Kevin Jackson) Schaper and special nephew David Stroop; brother Frank “Butch” Brown.
Mom touched so many lives in her 88 years. We were blessed to be part of her zestful love for life; it was an amazing thing. We will love you forever.
On angel’s wings you were taken, but in our hearts, you will stay and in God's light you will rest until we meet again someday.
The family would like to thank Benefis Peace Hospice, especially Kim and Kaylene for their exceptional care and kindness.
In lieu of flowers, memorials in Phyllis’s name may be made to Maclean-Cameron Animal Adoption Center, P.O. Box 3426, Great Falls, MT 59403 or Sunnyside Food Pantry, 1800 19th St S. Great Falls, MT 59405 and Loy Elementary Food Pantry, 501 57th St N, Great Falls, MT 59405.
