Phyllis B. Arnold was born on March 9, 1932, in Springfield, Massachusetts. After graduating from Technical High School in 1950, she worked briefly as a clerk and stenographer for the Mass Mutual Life Insurance Company before deciding to enter military service.

On January 2, 1951, Arnold enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in her hometown. She completed her initial training at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas and received specialized instruction in New York and Oklahoma to serve as a stenographer. Following her stateside training, she deployed to Germany on June 1, 1953.

During her time overseas, she was assigned to the Headquarters Company, 7439th Inspector General Special Investigations. Holding a security clearance, her duties involved taking dictation, typing, and formatting investigative reports and memos for high-level military inquiries. She remained stationed in Germany until August 1954.

Arnold returned to the United States and was honorably discharged at Fort Kilmer, New Jersey, on October 20, 1954. For her service during the Korean War era, she earned the National Defense Service Medal, the Occupation Medal (Germany), and the Good Conduct Award.

After her military career, she married Richard Crowley in 1960 and raised three children. The family eventually relocated to Laconia, New Hampshire. She remained an active community member and a regular competitor at the Sandwich Fair, where she was known for winning the skillet toss. Phyllis Crowley died on March 17, 2023.