Phyllis Monroe Waite of Mashantucket Pequot/Eastern Pequot and Narragansett Indian Tribal Descent, born on March 25, 1929 in Wakefield, RI, passed away at Yale New Haven Hospital on Tuesday.
She was the daughter of the late Mabel Perry and Clifford “Copperhead” Cyrus Sebastian Sr., and great-granddaughter of the late Annie George.
If you were fortunate enough to know Tribal Elder, former Tribal Concillor and Community leader Phyllis, you knew of her young-girl spirit, strong mind and absolute dedication to Jehovah, family, and encouraging people to recognize their own abilities to excel in whatever they wish to do.
Mrs. Waite leaves a legacy of community service that began in South County, RI serving traditionally under-served citizens and then moved to decades of community service on the Mashantucket Pequot Indian Reservation, serving in dozens of leadership roles, including but not limited to; Tribal Concilor, Health & Human Services Director, Housing Director, Tribal Manager, Founder & President of Pequot Pharmaceutical Network, Founder & Chairperson of the MPTN Peacemakers (a traditional dispute resolution mechanism), Founder of the MPTN Health Clinic, creator of Indian Child Welfare Act Programs for the Tribal Community, as well as training for USET Tribal Communities. Her previous community service in RI included being a founding Organizer of the CANE Day Care Center and the South County Community Action Program in the 1960’s and ‘70’s.
Mrs. Waite was awarded honorary degrees by several higher educational institutions including the University of RI, and served on many corporate, community, and charitable boards including the Board of Directors at Backus Hospital as well as being Founder of the Timber Spears Memorial Golf Tournament and the Timber Spears Endowment Fund.
She was the wife of Lloyd Waite of Mashantucket. She was the mother of her seven children, Keri Spears, Ruth Thomas, Maxine Carter, Patricia Charity, Joseph Carter, Gary Carter and Keith Robinson, all of Mashantucket; her stepchildren, Ellen Rivera of RI, Charles Monroe of Willimantic, William Monroe Jr. of CA, and Steve Monroe of OH, and the late Dennis Monroe. She is also survived by her siblings, Clifford, Vincent and Richard Sebastian and Juanita Reels, all of Mashantucket and Mytrus Simmons of Wakefield, RI.; 38 grandchildren, 43 great-grandchildren; a sister-in-law and caregiver, Sophie Sebastian, and many special friends including Ernie DiGregorio and Suzan Gagnon. She was a mentor to all. She was predeceased by other siblings, Emanuel Sebastian, Evelyn Reels, Maxine Pinson, Harold Champlin, Constance Sampson, Doris Fayerweather, and Mason Champlin. She was also predeceased by a grandson, Timber Spears, and two great-grandsons, Desmond Carter and Joseph Carter V.
A Memorial Service will be conducted at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 190 Flanders Road, Mystic on Saturday, October 15th at 1pm. Traditional Burial Services were held on Monday at the Mashantucket Burial Ground.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Timber Spears Endowment Fund or the Yale Children’s Hospital.
To send an online condolence/remembrance to her family, please click the link below.