Phyllis Moriarty Decker

RALEIGH, N.C. - Phyllis Hausch Moriarty Decker, age 79, of Lake Lure, North Carolina and Naples, Florida passed away peacefully at home on October 6, 2021 after a long battle with brain cancer. She was born on January 21, 1942 in Poughkeepsie, New York to Helen and Charles Hausch. She married her husband, Stephen James Decker, in September 1980 with whom she embarked on a life long journey of travel, hobby and business adventures. Although Phyllis traveled 2 hours by train daily to complete her degree at New York University despite having young children and was wildly successful in her desire to become a Physical Therapist owning her own practice, it was her second act with Steve about which she was happiest. Whether it was owning an antiques business, collecting decoys, learning to drive horses, buying a farm, or running a successful alpaca breeding business while collecting a menagerie of dogs, cows, ducks and other creatures, her life’s pleasure was thinking about the “what next,” often on the back of a motorcycle with Steve to their children’s sometimes chagrin. In addition to her husband, Steve, she is survived by and was a loving mother and grandmother to two daughters and their husbands, Karen Moriarty Penry and Andy Penry, and Nancy Moriarty Quinn and John Quinn; a son and his wife, Michael and Lani Moriarty; stepson, Dennis Decker; stepdaughter, Suzanne Decker; as well as eight grandchildren, Taylor Moriarty, McKenna Moriarty, Gabrielle Prichard, Scott Prichard, John Penry, Sarah Penry, Ellen Penry and Elena Quinn. She is deeply missed and treasured by her family. A funeral mass will be celebrated at 10 AM on Friday, October 8, 2021 at Sacred Heart Church, 200 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh, North Carolina, followed by interment at Oakwood Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, she would wish for donations to the charity of friends’ and family members’ choice. Arrangements are by Bryan-Lee Funeral Home of Raleigh. Online condolences may be made at www.bryan-leefuneralhome.com