Richard C. Phelps

Richard C. Phelps, 84 of St. Cloud, Florida left this earth for the loving arms of our Lord on Sunday April 19, 2015. Richard was born June 2, 1930 in Burlington, Vermont, the eleventh child of Sidney and Bernice Phelps. After growing up on the family farm Richard went away to high school at Lyndon Institute in Lyndonville, Vermont where he met the love of his life and soon to be wife of 63 years, Lucille Lamb. Richard loved his experience at Lyndonville where he was the co-captain of the football team, ran track and minored in teenage mischief. After high school, Richard joined the Air Force and in 1951 he and Lucille were married at Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls, Texas. While in the Air Force Richard was crew chief on a B-26 bomber. His first son, Richard Lawrence was born in 1952 while Richard was stationed in Delaware. After his service, Richard and Lucille moved to the Bay Area of California where Richard began his career as an installer repairman with the telephone company. His second son Roger Eliot was born in California in 1959. In 1962 the family moved to Lima, New York where Richard continued his career with the local telephone company and built his first house. His daughter Greta Louise was born in 1964 in Rochester. After weathering the cold for long enough the family moved to Naples, Florida for a couple years before finally setting in St. Cloud, Florida in 1974. While working for the local phone company Richard built seven more houses, some for the family, and some to sell. Richard could engineer, build or repair just about anything. One of his family nicknames was Macgyver based on the show with a character famous for fixing his way out of predicaments. In 1990 while working on a telephone aerial cable, Richard had a fall sustaining injuries that would limit his mobility for the rest of his life. Richard had tremendous courage and will to live life fully, seldom missing out on anything fun, earning the nickname Big Guy. Richard was the ultimate family man maintaining close relationships with his children, grandchildren, siblings, aunts, uncles and cousins, nieces and nephews. Richard enjoyed boating all his life and spent summers in Mayville, New York with Lucille and the Johnsen’s on Lake Chautauqua. Richard and Lucille were inseparable spending nearly every moment together, enjoying life the most with family, where holidays and vacations were just a reason to get everyone together. Richard is preceded in death by his son, Richard Lawrence Phelps. Richard is survived by his loving wife Lucille, son Roger Phelps (Tammy), daughter Greta Johnsen (Tom) and sister Helen Myhrberg. Richard has 7 grandchildren, Ashley Miller (Chris), Abbey and Grant Phelps; Eric Johnsen (Gisela), Lauren and Kai Johnsen and Kim Montesano (Anthony) along with 4 great grandchildren. The family wishes to thank all those that provided superior care to Richard over the years, no doubt extending and improving his quality of life. Visitation will be held at 5 pm Thursday April 23 at Fisk Funeral Home at 1107 Massachusetts Ave., St. Cloud, Florida, Services to follow.

Richard C. Phelps

June 2, 1930 - April 19, 2015