On April 16th, Phyllis Ehrenthal, age 84, succumbed to the COVID-19 virus. Phyllis touched the lives of many as a highly respected elementary school teacher for more than 25 years at Fox Run School in Norwalk, CT, and later helping families with emotional challenges live better lives. She will be dearly missed by her family and many others. Growing up in The Bronx during the Great Depression, Phyllis was a serious and talented student, attending Music and Art High School as a budding visual artist. At 16, she completed her high school studies and attended Hunter College in New York City from where she graduated with a degree in English. During her marriage to Ken Ehrenthal, which ended in divorce in 1973, she mothered her two children, Debbie and David, who survive her. She worked closely with children with intellectual disabilities, and eventually became an elementary school teacher in Norwalk. During her years there, she always strove to maximize the authentic potential of every student, and by doing so, earned the respect of parents, her peers and school administrators. She always believed that children should be free to choose their own path in life, and she passed on this philosophy to both of her children. After her retirement as a teacher, she pursued a career in family therapy, working to improve relationships between parents and their young adult children. Many families expressed their gratitude to Phyllis for her valuable insights that led to healing. Later in life her passion for painting returned, and she produced dozens of beautiful oil paintings as part of a group of artists at Weir Farm in Wilton, CT. In addition to her children Deborah and David, she is survived by her grandchildren Catherine, Johanna, Margot and Alex. Private services will be held by her family. Contributions in Phyllis Ehrenthal's memory should be made on her behalf to the Insight Meditation Society (IMS), of Barre, Massachusetts . Arrangements are under the care of Dee Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Concord.