Lois Eileen Phelps

Lois Eileen Stonely Phelps, 87, died Sunday, November 13, 2022, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, at the home of her son, Michael, and his wife, Susan.  She was born Saturday, July 6, 1935, in Rochester, New York, to John Wilfred Stonely and Doris Taylor Stonely.  She was the second of four children and the only daughter.

Eileen grew up in nearby Irondequoit and attended Brigham Young University for two years.  She married Wayne Irwin Phelps on April 22, 1955, in the Mesa, Arizona Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They had three sons: Michael Irwin Phelps (Susan Braithwaite), Brent Ellsworth Phelps, and Mark Stonely Phelps (Krista Maria Gidney). They were divorced in September 1987.  He is deceased.  She was preceded in death by her parents, her brothers Daniel, Larry, and Bruce and their wives, one son, Brent, and one grandson.  She is survived by two sons, 12 grandchildren, and 19 great grandchildren (with two more on the way).

She worked at many different jobs, starting with piano teaching while in high school and at various times later.  She worked at a couple of newspaper clipping services, in a department store, and as a library assistant at the Arizona State University Library.  She then graduated with bachelor’s and master’s degrees from ASU and taught elementary school for 12 years.  Computers arrived and she was hooked.  She then worked printing computer circuit boards.  She moved to Provo, Utah, and worked for WordPerfect in customer support.  When she retired, she lived alternately with her two sons in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Grass Valley, California.

Eileen had been interested in family history since she was a teenager, and she joined a computer genealogy group, the Utah Valley PAF Users Group (now called the Utah Valley Technology and Genealogy Group), editing their newsletter for more than ten years.  She later edited a newsletter for the Utah Genealogical Association for several years, and the Nevada County (California) Genealogical Society for over five years.  She was also very involved in the Taylor Family Association, writing and editing her 100th edition of their newsletter when she passed.

Eileen loved reading, gardening, sewing, doing puzzles, and visiting with her friends and family, online and in person.  She had a strong testimony of Jesus Christ and loved watching her family grow, knowing they would be part of her life for eternity.

Funeral Service will be held Friday, November 18, 2022, at 4 p.m., at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 12701 Indian School Blvd, NE, Albuquerque, New Mexico.  This service will also be available for viewing via Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/92983163425

Interment will be in the Mesa, Arizona Cemetery, with a brief Graveside Service on Wednesday, November 23, 2022.