Phyllis (Trevini) Norbery Hilenski

Phyllis was born in Nouasseur, Morocco, Africa, the youngest of four children to Lt. Cmd. Ferdinand Alexi Hilenski and Louisa May Norbery. She was a tiny baby and her dad had a driver take Louisa and him across the desert to the hospital, afraid if he drove they would get lost and the baby would be born somewhere in the desert.

Phyllis grew up to be a giant of a woman in a body of short stature. Throughout her life she loved many things beginning with dance in her early years, participating in the ultimate dance recital in high school. Moving to Gainesville, Florida, after graduation, her allergy to the sun had a doctor tell her to “Move north, young woman. Florida is not the place for you.”

Moving to the state of her ancestors, Massachusetts, she set about building a life for herself and ultimately found the Siddha Yoga path and the Gurumayi Chidvilasananda who would shape her life, taking on the spiritual name of Triveni. Living in various ashrams, from New York to California, Triveni made spiritually deep and lasting friendships across the country.

Moving back to Gainesville, Florida, in 2004, she began her long battle with the big C in 2005, the day after the memorial service of her older sister, Lou, who had lost her own fight with C. Continuing her work as the Office Manager of Oak Hammock Retirement Community during her fight, courageously fighting the good fight while working at Oak Hammock until her bone marrow transplant in 2012.

A creative soul she was an excellent seamstress, designing and sewing delicate saris, travel bags and purses. Her voluntary Seva in the ashrams found her baking scones, being a welcoming receptionist and many more tasks she happily completed, including her last one at the Gainesville center on the Advisory team. She went so far as to go to India twice, once for six months and another time for a year, to live in the main ashram of the Guramayi, traveling the country while she was there.

Phyl/Triveni had a heart of gold and compassion for her fellow man. Walking down the street, without pause, she would lean over and drop in cash for a homeless person or feed tidbits to a stray dog. She loved cats, travel, creating and giving back as a volunteer at the Friends of the Gainesville Library.

In creating her company, Upthinkart, Phyl would search the web and other sources, finding messages that touched her heart or made her laugh. She then designed t-shirts, cards, magnets, posters, and bags with positive messages to help uplift the world, such as the following.

“Feelings are much like waves. We can’t stop them from coming but we can choose which one to surf.”

“If you change nothing, nothing will change.”

“Don’t look back. You’re not going that way.”

“If you’re waiting for a sign, this is it!”

She learned how to paint, choosing water color as her favorite medium and added hand-painted backings to her cards and posters. Moving on to a new medium, she began painting with words, writing some of the most moving spiritual poems put to pen, her own stunning watercolor paintings holding her magically serene words in their arms. Her Gurumayi had Phyl’s poems/artwork placed in the Sidda Yoga library to touch others with her creativity.

In 2008, Chet Bohrer came into her life, making her laugh, bringing her a whole new life. Chet took care of her in her down times, danced with her at the Villages in her good times, and went on grand adventures with her any time. She loved zip-lining and laughed as she flew through the air, Chet not so happy, but dutifully, following behind.

Loving friendships meant the world to her from high school friends to the ones she would contact with in the dead of night. She loved them with every ounce of her soul. Many of them were blessed to be taken to her “happy place,” the house on Lake Weir, especially with one of her besties, Mirabai Cardullo. It was there she was planning to recover. It was the best place for her to relax and heal, laugh and play Rummikub, in the peace of the lake among the giant trees who watched over all who visited there.

Leaving behind her life partner, Chet, and sister, Roda Hilenski Grubb, brother-in-law Ray Merrill, sister-in-law Lu Hilenski, niece Jaime Merrill Smith (Jason), Josie, Jake, & Jesse, nephew, Adam Merrill (Dana), Grayson, Ashton, & Joy, niece Cate Hilenski Cochrane (Jason), nephew Jesse Hilenski, and a whole bunch of loving cousins and their kids, Phyllis is already missed more than she could imagine.

We honor this woman who was filled with love, compassion, laughter, imagination, adventure, spirituality, integrity, loyalty, intelligence, honesty, sincerity, strong opinions, always willing to help others, and always, always reaching for the stars.