Laurel Mae Phelps

Laurel M. Phelps, age 95, died on Thursday, May 1, 2008 at Riverside Terrace in Beloit. She was born Nov. 13, 1912 in Rockford, Minn. and was one of 10 children. She had been a resident at Riverside Terrace in Beloit for the last 4 years. Laurel was married for 52 years to Louis Dean Phelps, who died in 1981. Laurel was very well known in Beloit for many years. She was an avid gardener at her home on Copeland Avenue and participated in numerous open house garden walks where Beloiters came year after year to view her yard and beautiful flower gardens. She was a 1960 graduate of the American Floral Art School in Chicago. Laurel gave several talks on local radio and TV, sharing her gardening knowledge, as well as working on many projects city-wide to beautify Beloit. She was also a member of the Altrusa Club. Laurel is survived by her daughter-in-law, Patricia Phelps, of Mesa, AZ; two granddaughters, Holly (Martin) Armato, of Mequon, WI and Karen (Richard) Kinkade, of Janesville; and a great grandson Ryan Kinkade, of Janesville. Her only child, Dean James Phelps, died on August 27, 2007 following a vehicle accident while traveling in Oregon. Private memorial services will be held at Riverside Terrace in Beloit. Private family burial will be in East Lawn Cemetery. A special thank you to all the staff at Riverside Terrace and Beloit Hospice for all of their love and support.