Age: 97 yrs. 10 mos. 6 dys.
S/O Rev. Theoron Torrance Phelps & Elsie Irene (Fisk) Phelps
H/O Barbara (Dowie) Phelps (21 Oct 1922-14 Nov 2010); m 31 Jul 1942, Sacramento, Sacramento County, California, USA
F/O Craig Winslow Phelps
F/O Marcia Naomi (Phelps) Hoover
F/O Leslie Irene (Phelps) Jacobs (4 May 1948-25 Jan 2017)
F/O Hollis Amanda (Phelps) Taylor
F/O Kenneth Tyler Phelps
P/O Virginia Nolan
Obituary, East Bay Times (Walnut Creek, CA), 12 Nov 2017:
H. Fisk Phelps
Dec. 11, 1919 - Oct. 17, 2017
Walnut Creek
With gratitude for a remarkable life, we said goodbye to Harry Fisk Phelps on October 17, 2017. Fisk was born in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and spent his early childhood in Kalamazoo, Michigan. As a teenager his family moved to Pasadena California, where Fisk attended high school and graduated from Pasadena Junior College. After a move to Sacramento, Fisk met Barbara, the daughter of the organist at the church where his father was minister. They were married in 1942 and soon Fisk was drafted into the Army Air Corps. He quickly became an instructor at the Officer's Candidate School and continued to teach there as the school moved to various sites around the country until the end of World War II.
Returning home to Northern California, Fisk completed a master's degree at U.C. Berkeley in agricultural economics and began work as a farm analyst and manager. In 1955 the family moved to Riverside, California where Fisk joined the University of California's Cooperative Extension Service. Over the next 15 years, he was county director for both San Bernardino and Riverside county's Extension Service offices. In 1975 Fisk and Barbara moved to Walnut Creek where Fisk became statewide director of the 4-H program. From 1982 until retirement, he was director of Cooperative Extension for Contra Costa County.
After retirement Fisk and Barbara traveled extensively throughout the U.S. and world. He loved planning trips and seeing new places. Fisk became very active with the Walnut Creek Unitarian Church and was chair of the building committee when they constructed their beautiful new sanctuary. After Barbara died in 2010, Fisk met his dear companion, Virginia Nolan, who spent many happy years continuing to travel and enjoy life with him.
Fisk was someone who deeply loved life and human connection. He had a great appreciation for beauty in many forms, especially when found in music and nature. Family vacations always included hikes in the mountains. He said that he felt his most "spiritual" when immersed in natural beauty. He loved jazz, country, and folk music, and was especially moved by classical music. His companions at symphony concerts got used to seeing him cry during poignant moments. Even in the final moments of his life, his beloved Beethoven was playing.
Fisk is pre-deceased by his wife Barbara, and his daughter Leslie Jacobs. He is survived by his sister Naomi Brooker, his children Win Phelps, Marcia Hoover, Holly Taylor and Tyler Snortum-Phelps, and nine grandchildren.
A memorial service is being planned for a future date, to be held at the Mt. Diablo Unitarian Universalist Church in Walnut Creek.
S/O Rev. Theoron Torrance Phelps & Elsie Irene (Fisk) Phelps
H/O Barbara (Dowie) Phelps (21 Oct 1922-14 Nov 2010); m 31 Jul 1942, Sacramento, Sacramento County, California, USA
F/O Craig Winslow Phelps
F/O Marcia Naomi (Phelps) Hoover
F/O Leslie Irene (Phelps) Jacobs (4 May 1948-25 Jan 2017)
F/O Hollis Amanda (Phelps) Taylor
F/O Kenneth Tyler Phelps
P/O Virginia Nolan
Obituary, East Bay Times (Walnut Creek, CA), 12 Nov 2017:
H. Fisk Phelps
Dec. 11, 1919 - Oct. 17, 2017
Walnut Creek
With gratitude for a remarkable life, we said goodbye to Harry Fisk Phelps on October 17, 2017. Fisk was born in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and spent his early childhood in Kalamazoo, Michigan. As a teenager his family moved to Pasadena California, where Fisk attended high school and graduated from Pasadena Junior College. After a move to Sacramento, Fisk met Barbara, the daughter of the organist at the church where his father was minister. They were married in 1942 and soon Fisk was drafted into the Army Air Corps. He quickly became an instructor at the Officer's Candidate School and continued to teach there as the school moved to various sites around the country until the end of World War II.
Returning home to Northern California, Fisk completed a master's degree at U.C. Berkeley in agricultural economics and began work as a farm analyst and manager. In 1955 the family moved to Riverside, California where Fisk joined the University of California's Cooperative Extension Service. Over the next 15 years, he was county director for both San Bernardino and Riverside county's Extension Service offices. In 1975 Fisk and Barbara moved to Walnut Creek where Fisk became statewide director of the 4-H program. From 1982 until retirement, he was director of Cooperative Extension for Contra Costa County.
After retirement Fisk and Barbara traveled extensively throughout the U.S. and world. He loved planning trips and seeing new places. Fisk became very active with the Walnut Creek Unitarian Church and was chair of the building committee when they constructed their beautiful new sanctuary. After Barbara died in 2010, Fisk met his dear companion, Virginia Nolan, who spent many happy years continuing to travel and enjoy life with him.
Fisk was someone who deeply loved life and human connection. He had a great appreciation for beauty in many forms, especially when found in music and nature. Family vacations always included hikes in the mountains. He said that he felt his most "spiritual" when immersed in natural beauty. He loved jazz, country, and folk music, and was especially moved by classical music. His companions at symphony concerts got used to seeing him cry during poignant moments. Even in the final moments of his life, his beloved Beethoven was playing.
Fisk is pre-deceased by his wife Barbara, and his daughter Leslie Jacobs. He is survived by his sister Naomi Brooker, his children Win Phelps, Marcia Hoover, Holly Taylor and Tyler Snortum-Phelps, and nine grandchildren.
A memorial service is being planned for a future date, to be held at the Mt. Diablo Unitarian Universalist Church in Walnut Creek.
Age: 97 yrs. 10 mos. 6 dys.
S/O Rev. Theoron Torrance Phelps & Elsie Irene (Fisk) Phelps
H/O Barbara (Dowie) Phelps (21 Oct 1922-14 Nov 2010); m 31 Jul 1942, Sacramento, Sacramento County, California, USA
F/O Craig Winslow Phelps
F/O Marcia Naomi (Phelps) Hoover
F/O Leslie Irene (Phelps) Jacobs (4 May 1948-25 Jan 2017)
F/O Hollis Amanda (Phelps) Taylor
F/O Kenneth Tyler Phelps
P/O Virginia Nolan
Obituary, East Bay Times (Walnut Creek, CA), 12 Nov 2017:
H. Fisk Phelps
Dec. 11, 1919 - Oct. 17, 2017
Walnut Creek
With gratitude for a remarkable life, we said goodbye to Harry Fisk Phelps on October 17, 2017. Fisk was born in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and spent his early childhood in Kalamazoo, Michigan. As a teenager his family moved to Pasadena California, where Fisk attended high school and graduated from Pasadena Junior College. After a move to Sacramento, Fisk met Barbara, the daughter of the organist at the church where his father was minister. They were married in 1942 and soon Fisk was drafted into the Army Air Corps. He quickly became an instructor at the Officer's Candidate School and continued to teach there as the school moved to various sites around the country until the end of World War II.
Returning home to Northern California, Fisk completed a master's degree at U.C. Berkeley in agricultural economics and began work as a farm analyst and manager. In 1955 the family moved to Riverside, California where Fisk joined the University of California's Cooperative Extension Service. Over the next 15 years, he was county director for both San Bernardino and Riverside county's Extension Service offices. In 1975 Fisk and Barbara moved to Walnut Creek where Fisk became statewide director of the 4-H program. From 1982 until retirement, he was director of Cooperative Extension for Contra Costa County.
After retirement Fisk and Barbara traveled extensively throughout the U.S. and world. He loved planning trips and seeing new places. Fisk became very active with the Walnut Creek Unitarian Church and was chair of the building committee when they constructed their beautiful new sanctuary. After Barbara died in 2010, Fisk met his dear companion, Virginia Nolan, who spent many happy years continuing to travel and enjoy life with him.
Fisk was someone who deeply loved life and human connection. He had a great appreciation for beauty in many forms, especially when found in music and nature. Family vacations always included hikes in the mountains. He said that he felt his most "spiritual" when immersed in natural beauty. He loved jazz, country, and folk music, and was especially moved by classical music. His companions at symphony concerts got used to seeing him cry during poignant moments. Even in the final moments of his life, his beloved Beethoven was playing.
Fisk is pre-deceased by his wife Barbara, and his daughter Leslie Jacobs. He is survived by his sister Naomi Brooker, his children Win Phelps, Marcia Hoover, Holly Taylor and Tyler Snortum-Phelps, and nine grandchildren.
A memorial service is being planned for a future date, to be held at the Mt. Diablo Unitarian Universalist Church in Walnut Creek.
S/O Rev. Theoron Torrance Phelps & Elsie Irene (Fisk) Phelps
H/O Barbara (Dowie) Phelps (21 Oct 1922-14 Nov 2010); m 31 Jul 1942, Sacramento, Sacramento County, California, USA
F/O Craig Winslow Phelps
F/O Marcia Naomi (Phelps) Hoover
F/O Leslie Irene (Phelps) Jacobs (4 May 1948-25 Jan 2017)
F/O Hollis Amanda (Phelps) Taylor
F/O Kenneth Tyler Phelps
P/O Virginia Nolan
Obituary, East Bay Times (Walnut Creek, CA), 12 Nov 2017:
H. Fisk Phelps
Dec. 11, 1919 - Oct. 17, 2017
Walnut Creek
With gratitude for a remarkable life, we said goodbye to Harry Fisk Phelps on October 17, 2017. Fisk was born in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and spent his early childhood in Kalamazoo, Michigan. As a teenager his family moved to Pasadena California, where Fisk attended high school and graduated from Pasadena Junior College. After a move to Sacramento, Fisk met Barbara, the daughter of the organist at the church where his father was minister. They were married in 1942 and soon Fisk was drafted into the Army Air Corps. He quickly became an instructor at the Officer's Candidate School and continued to teach there as the school moved to various sites around the country until the end of World War II.
Returning home to Northern California, Fisk completed a master's degree at U.C. Berkeley in agricultural economics and began work as a farm analyst and manager. In 1955 the family moved to Riverside, California where Fisk joined the University of California's Cooperative Extension Service. Over the next 15 years, he was county director for both San Bernardino and Riverside county's Extension Service offices. In 1975 Fisk and Barbara moved to Walnut Creek where Fisk became statewide director of the 4-H program. From 1982 until retirement, he was director of Cooperative Extension for Contra Costa County.
After retirement Fisk and Barbara traveled extensively throughout the U.S. and world. He loved planning trips and seeing new places. Fisk became very active with the Walnut Creek Unitarian Church and was chair of the building committee when they constructed their beautiful new sanctuary. After Barbara died in 2010, Fisk met his dear companion, Virginia Nolan, who spent many happy years continuing to travel and enjoy life with him.
Fisk was someone who deeply loved life and human connection. He had a great appreciation for beauty in many forms, especially when found in music and nature. Family vacations always included hikes in the mountains. He said that he felt his most "spiritual" when immersed in natural beauty. He loved jazz, country, and folk music, and was especially moved by classical music. His companions at symphony concerts got used to seeing him cry during poignant moments. Even in the final moments of his life, his beloved Beethoven was playing.
Fisk is pre-deceased by his wife Barbara, and his daughter Leslie Jacobs. He is survived by his sister Naomi Brooker, his children Win Phelps, Marcia Hoover, Holly Taylor and Tyler Snortum-Phelps, and nine grandchildren.
A memorial service is being planned for a future date, to be held at the Mt. Diablo Unitarian Universalist Church in Walnut Creek.
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H. FISK PHELPS
1919 – 2017
BARBARA DOWIE PHELPS
1922 - 2010
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