Phyllis grew up in Portland and followed her brother, Stanley Cohn ’47, to Reed, where she studied psychology and sociology and penned a thesis titled “The Nature of Stereotyped Thinking” under Prof. Read Bain [sociology 1947–49] and Prof. William (Monte) Griffith [psychology 1926–54]. After graduating she became an administrative assistant at the University of Oregon Dental School (what is now OHSU School of Dentistry), where she met a student named Louis Terkla who said he wanted to see Portland. The next day the two joined a tour that Reed was running to Multnomah Falls. They took a long hike, missed the return bus, hitchhiked back to Portland, and eventually got married.
Phyllis loved her work as a substitute teacher and enjoyed outdoor hobbies—hunting, fishing, camping, and hiking—as well as rug making, knitting, and reading. She shared a wonderful marriage with Louis, who became dean of OHSU’s dentistry school. She is survived by her children, David Terkla and Linda Peppler.
