He is loved completely by me and my family. Great Man!!!!!

Thank you Coach
Case Wallace

This is a condolence to a great fellow coach that I had no idea had passed until I googled his name this morning. I lost another great friend yesterday Lawrence Williams from Pecos. I was thanking of all the great men I worked with Tom at the top of that list. The kids loved him an he was a great friend, condolences family no he is missed Love you guy RIP LARNCe Gardner


While in Spring Training at the end of 9th grade he gave me my high school nickname "Tank". He was a great teacher and mentor. 

Coach was a great neighbor.   He was very protective of me, even though I have 3 big dogs with me on our walks.

Hugging all your hearts.

Below is a tribute to Coach Phelps written by a former player. It is too lengthy to post here in this section. 

Condolences to all Coach Phelps’s family and friends. He was a one of a kind, and we all loved him. 

http://ryonprice.blogspot.com/2021/07/an-appreciation.html?m=1

Tomcat, 
It was such an honor and privilege to work with you. We had fun everyday. We would have ice cream and drive around Tech campus during our conference period. Tom expected a lot from kids and held them accountable. He was old school and the kids loved him. He had the best stop watch ever made, his lighter!!!! Tom was also a competitor, he loved winning and loved coaching. Never saw a man that could smoke in class and blow the smoke out the window and no one said a word. He was one of a kind and there will never be another “tomcat”. Everyone loved his military stories. My only regret,  as we all do, we lose touch after time passes. I last saw Tom at B40 with his daughter, he was just enjoying life and music. We will miss you Tom, you are a great coach but a better man. 
Love ya
David Chapman

The Ol Tomcat was a friend of mine. We used to sit & tell jokes & stories. We often told folks we were “philosophizing”. It seems I ran into him in all of my frequent haunts. He was the absolute salt of the Earth & made the world a better place just by being in it. We grew close after I came home from Az & he will leave a void in my life. He was tough, wise, a good coach and better friend. He was rock steady & loyal to a fault. He always had a kind word for me. When I would see him around town & enquire as to his state & activities his typical response was, “I’m just going down the road.” I hope his road is smooth & easy now. 

My husband Bob had the great opportunity to coach at Lubbock high for 3 years with Coach Phelps.  We will never forget the stories he would tell and his great sense of humor. Rest in peace Coach✝️
Bob and Charlotte Romero

Coach Phelps left a lifetime of memories for all his students, so sad  I did not get to see him  over the past few years when I was home visiting I thought about going by his house all the time. I have so many funny stories from my time in High school with him....We were playing in Amarillo JV football game and the Ref threw his flag over by coach Phelps and he picked up and threw over the fence and told the ref he could not make any more bad calls. Thanks Coach Phelps  

God Bless you Coach Phelps! No question that at the top of my favorite times playing sports was JV quarterback for Coach Phelps. We became fans of each other and developed a wonderful friendship as we strategized one on one during his smoke breaks (there were many). We laughed and laughed and laughed! Thinking of him also reminds me of the great friends and dynamic personalities on that team, Case Wallace, Troy Jones, David Pemberton, Kelvin Joseph, many others...great times. Coach was quick to rip into guys not doing their job. He would turn beet red screaming and yelling! Those were good days!! 

I loved watching The Alamo as a class activity in Texas History - was probably our final if I remember correct. 

For years after graduating I’d get a chance to run into Coach and we would share some laughs and a big hug. He loved coaching, he loved the kids and it made an impression on me. I love you Coach! Thank you for loving on me Digger! Forever, H 

Was my favorite coach of all time. So many stories about his antics at games and on the practice field. My favorite is when he called the official over and began wiping his glasses off and then offered them to the referee and said, “Why don’t you put them on, you’re missing a hell of a game!” 😂RIP coach 

One of my favorite coaches of all time.  He taught me so much about football and life!

Coach Phelps was such an inspiration to me.  He was probably the most influential coach I had and a big reason I got into coaching.  He was always so passionate about his coaching and cared so much for his athletes.  I played football for him and ran track for him and Coach Gay at Monterey in the early 80's. He will be missed for sure.

He was my favorite teacher at Monterey High School. Never raised his voice in class. Calm and steady::)) I still tell stories about him and it makes me smile every time::)) Rest In Peace Coach Rawls 

Someone could write a fun book with all the memories of Tom Phelps.  We tell stories all the time about experiences when we coached at Monterey with him.  He was happy all the time and made people around him happy!  He loved his family, his friends, the athletes he coached, and his students.  We send our sincere thoughts and prayers to Danay, Lance, Rob, and the family.  Tomcat, we loved you and may you Rest In Peace with your beloved and precious Kay. ❤️

Coach Phelps was a true teacher.  He engaged his students to utilize critical thinking. He was my Government teacher. I do not remember all of my teachers, but Coach Phelps left a lifetime mark on my mind. I am grateful to have been one of his students. 

Coach Phelps was a great coach and he was an outstanding leader in Lubbock.I will forever have  lots of great memories of the times I played football, “You will always be remembered”. My thoughts and prayers are with the family and everyone that knew him. 

A lot of memories with Coach Phelps , Rest In Peace coach 
Jimmy 

Coach Phelps,
I still laugh 35 years later at all the great times and great memories I have of you coaching and teaching me.  I will never forget you taught us all about understanding credit card bills and mortgage payments - things that we needed to know about!!!  You were a great football coach that was loved by his players.  You were passionate about the game, and  always had something funny to say.  You will always be cherished and remembered!
Brian Wolfe - MHS Class of 1987


So many memories/laughs with Coach Phelps. My favorite one is probably having Study Hall with him my junior year. 

Often I would write “Pass Blake to  7-11 to buy gum and candy” on a piece of notebook paper. He would sign it every time, and simply ask me to pick him something up as well - and also  be back seated at my desk before “class” ended. 

This was definitely back in the day when you could get away with leaving campus during class..😂 

You were the best, Coach, and I loved your passion for Texas history as well. Your class was my favorite as a senior. 

(PS: I’m sorry I quit track for soccer too.😂)

#digger

Blake Hall
MHS class of 1987

Oh my goodness coach Phelps. He was a mess, a great mess and he loved his gum. Hugs coach Phelps. You changed lives.

Wendy Rae Kerr

Coach Phelps was great ! He was my Track and Field coach at Frenship high school .  Every time I would run around the track he would start singing “it’s alright , to be little bitty “ As
long as he was singing and not getting on to me I knew I was doing good lol I just found out about his passing and I’m sad to hear it. My condolences to the family . He was a great man . 

What a precious man and sweet teacher! I had him for History in the late 70’s at Lubbock High, and I tell this story often: I remember every time Coach Phelps showed one of those filmstrips I would walk up to him and say “Coach Phelps, I’m bored.”  Instead of telling me to sit down and pay attention he would open his desk drawer, take out a roll of Lifesavers,  peel down the paper and give me one. I always happily took it and sat back down.  That sweet memory has stayed with me over the years! He was such a patient teacher  and the world has a huge void without him now. My condolences to his family and loved ones.  

I have too many memories. I couldn't possible narrow it down to just one.

The loss of an influential educator.

I usually don’t go on Facebook talking about such things.  But I felt compelled to share my thoughts and feelings on the loss of coach Thomas Phelps.  He was my math teacher and he was my defensive specialty teams football coach at Irons Junior high.  My experience with him was that he brought an infectious joy to the classroom and to the football field.  He was one of those guys that encouraged you and you just want to see him light  up you did your job and you made a big play.
My favorite story of him was when I was in junior high and I was spacing out during a drill.  All I heard was “ring ring ring ring.”  It caught my attention.  I turned over because I recognize that was coach Phelps voice.  He had his thumb and pinky finger in the configuration of the phone.  When I turned to look at them.  He said, “ring ring ring ring. UDA pick up the phone.”  As my teammates started to giggle around me.  I proceeded to pick up the phone, put my hand in the configuration of the phone.  And he shouted, “PAY ATTENTION!!”  And proceed to hang the phone up and we could not contain our laughter.
My younger brother also had the pleasure of having Coach Phelps as he had gone to our rival school (I’m 44 years old and I still refuse to say their name.lol) for a new job when my brother was attending and was his football coach.  My brother had shared with me that Coach Phelps passed away a week ago.  It just so happens that he had been on my heart for some time. I’m sorry that I was not able to say goodbye to before you left us. Rest in peace coach.


Fond memories of Coach in PE at SE telling us we were going to do “cork wheels” instead of cartwheels. He had great energy and will be missed. The Parish Girls enjoyed being neighbors.

Lance and Kim,

We are  so sorry for your loss.  You father was a man who loved to laugh and we will miss him.  

Phillip and Brenda Bullard

DaNay ,

I am so sorry for your loss.  Tom was a good man and I know you  loved your father deeply.   We enjoyed our holiday dinners with him and he will be missed.  May God give you peace and strength.

- Brenda and Phillip Bullard

Coach Phelps was quite a man and will be sorely missed.  He influenced many lives over the years, including ours.  Our prayers are with the family during this dark time.


OBITUARY

Thomas Eugene Phelps

November 18, 1941 – May 14, 2021

Resthaven Funeral Home & Memorial Park

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