Henry C. Phelps

“Anything is possible.” That is what Henry Conrad Phelps believed about life. He was a creative man, who seemed to be able to find a solution for any difficulty confronting him. He had faith in his ability to find those solutions. Henry thoroughly enjoyed understanding how things worked. He possessed an inquisitive, confident, and rational nature matched with a versatile and agile mind. Henry was a person who believed that he could achieve whatever he set out to do.

Henry was born on June 29, 1938 at St. Joseph's Hospital in Kansas City, MO. His parents were Henry Elmer and Harriet Cecilia. Henry was raised in Kansas City, MO and Gladstone, MO. He showed his ingenuity even as a child. When he was confronted with a problem, Henry could develop an imaginative solution, and he derived satisfaction from knowing he had that ability.

This same talent for finding solutions had a positive bearing on Henry's family relationships. Henry was raised with one younger sister, Lorraine. When a difficult situation or dilemma arose within the family, Henry was always there to help figure out a solution for making things work.

As a young boy, Henry was curious, resourceful and interested in anything original. In his spare time he liked to go hunting and fishing.

Endowed with an appetite for knowing how his world worked, Henry enjoyed school, especially when the learning experience involved dissecting and probing the unknown. Henry was adept at scrutinizing different possibilities and designing innovative solutions. He graduated from Redemptous Catholic School in 1955 at the age of 16. His favorite class in high school was math.

Henry was socially resourceful, an expressive person who was willing to try new things. These qualities drew a lively circle of friends around him. He was sought after by people who recognized that he was generous with his time and energy, and these same friends found Henry to be very stimulating company. Henry's humor and curiosity were contagious for those around him. While growing up, his best friend was Richard. Later in life, he became friends with Joseph, John Paul, Walter, and Mansfield.

Henry was blessed with four children, two sons, James and Robert, and two daughters Janice and Cynthia. He was also blessed with four grandchildren, Zackery, Kaley, Kendall, and Khloe. Someone who was quick to laugh, Henry found it easy to spend lots of time with his children, but he was never overbearing or guilty of pushing himself on them.

Henry was a focused worker with a strong drive for achievement. He could assess all of the options before him and, using his analytical skills, could comfortably find answers that no one else had even considered. His personal initiative inspired those around him. His primary occupation was Sewage Treatment Plant Operator. He was employed by the City of St. Louis, and then the City of Houston for 20 years until he retired. Henry always made an effort to be a team player, doing what was necessary in order to get the job done.

Henry was always searching for new activities, he developed many interests and leisure pursuits. His favorite pursuits were hunting, fishing, reading, playing computer games, playing the stock market, and watching crime shows and classic movies.

Henry was continually concerned with the status of local, national and even world affairs. Politically, Henry was a strong supporter of the Republican Party.

Having the opportunity to visit and explore a new place always intrigued Henry. Traveling and going away on vacations offered yet another opportunity for Henry to expand his ever-growing inventory of knowledge. His favorite vacation was going fishing in Alaska.

Henry was a lover of animals and cherished his pets. A couple of Henry's favorites were his cats, Spooky (Cat Cat) and Dolly. He cherished time with his two chihuahuas, Peanut and Butter in his final days.

Henry passed away on January 6, 2017 at Patients St. Luke's Hospital in Pasadena, Texas. He is survived by his children James, Robert, Janice, and Cynthia; his grandchildren Zack, Kaley, Kendall, and Khloe; and his sister Lorraine. Services were held at Grand View Funeral Home in Pasadena, Texas.

During his lifetime, nothing appeared impossible to Henry. He met the words “it can’t be done” with the enthusiastic challenge of a “wanna bet” attitude. Henry was able to recognize the possibilities a new idea held, even when those around him could not. For Henry, the traditional way of doing things fell short of his expectations, especially if there were original and untested methods for handling a challenge. For Henry Conrad Phelps, the fun of living his life could be found in the challenge.

He was a kind and generous man and will be greatly missed.