- Born on: September 1, 1938
- Departed on: October 14, 2026
- Resided in: Manchester, IA
Fred Phelps
Fred Phelps, 88, of Manchester, passed away on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, surrounded by his loving family.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, October 31, 2026, at 1:30 at the Colesburg Methodist Church. Military honors will be rendered at the Brown Cemetery North of Colesburg.
Fred was born on September 1, 1938, to Otto and Elsie (Harbaugh) Phelps. He will be fondly remembered as a jokester with a kind heart. He brought laughter and kindness to those around him and will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him.
Fred graduated from the Finley Hospital School of Nursing in Dubuque in 1959. After retiring, he worked with the Iowa VA Hospital before joining the military in 1966.
Fred proudly served his country for 22½ years, including a tour of duty in Vietnam. During his time away from home, he faithfully kept a daily diary, which he later transformed into a book titled Born on the 5th of July.
An avid antique collector, Fred also served as a former president of N.T.H.C.S. He was a proud member of the Masonic fraternity for more than 50 years and a longtime, devoted member of Colesburg Methodist Church.
Fred was preceded in death by his parents Otto and Elsie Phelps; his older sister, Marilyn; and his brother-in-law, Don Mellody.
Those left to cherish Fred’s memory include his wife of more than 60 years, Ellen Phelps; his sister, Carolyn Mellody; his nieces, Elizabeth Cassman, Dixie (Terry) Bradley, Sarah (Ben) Bellings, Jennifer (Jerry) Quint, and Michelle (Mike) Klotzbach; and his nephews, Gary Kuhn and Shawn (Melissa Schrader).
Fred’s memory will live on in the hearts of his loving family and all those fortunate enough to have known him.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, October 31, 2026, at 1:30 at the Colesburg Methodist Church. Military honors will be rendered at the Brown Cemetery North of Colesburg.
Fred was born on September 1, 1938, to Otto and Elsie (Harbaugh) Phelps. He will be fondly remembered as a jokester with a kind heart. He brought laughter and kindness to those around him and will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him.
Fred graduated from the Finley Hospital School of Nursing in Dubuque in 1959. After retiring, he worked with the Iowa VA Hospital before joining the military in 1966.
Fred proudly served his country for 22½ years, including a tour of duty in Vietnam. During his time away from home, he faithfully kept a daily diary, which he later transformed into a book titled Born on the 5th of July.
An avid antique collector, Fred also served as a former president of N.T.H.C.S. He was a proud member of the Masonic fraternity for more than 50 years and a longtime, devoted member of Colesburg Methodist Church.
Fred was preceded in death by his parents Otto and Elsie Phelps; his older sister, Marilyn; and his brother-in-law, Don Mellody.
Those left to cherish Fred’s memory include his wife of more than 60 years, Ellen Phelps; his sister, Carolyn Mellody; his nieces, Elizabeth Cassman, Dixie (Terry) Bradley, Sarah (Ben) Bellings, Jennifer (Jerry) Quint, and Michelle (Mike) Klotzbach; and his nephews, Gary Kuhn and Shawn (Melissa Schrader).
Fred’s memory will live on in the hearts of his loving family and all those fortunate enough to have known him.
