William H. Phelps Jr.

William (Bill) H. Phelps, Jr., 77, husband of Lois Fotsch Phelps, died Friday, Nov. 29, at Christian Health Center. Bill was well known as owner and operator of Bills Fine Foods (Versailles Road) for thirty-eight years. A WW II veteran, he served in the U.S. Navy on the Destroyer John C. Butler (DE 339). He participated in five invasions in the Pacific Theatre and other action including the Second Battle of the Phillipine Sea, Leyte Gulf, and Iwo Jima. His ship received the Presidential and Navy Unit citations. He was President of the John C. Butler Association, 1990-1993, and had the honor of unveiling the John C. Butler Plaque at the Admiral Nimitz Museum in Fredericksburg, TX. Survivors other than his wife are two sons, William H. Phelps III (Bonnie) and Danniel J. Phelps, both of Lexington; one granddaughter, Carol Lee Sutliffe (Jason); one grandson, William H. Phelps IV; and one great-grandson, Andrew L. Sutliffe. Funeral services will be 2:00 pm Monday, Dec. 2, 2002 at Whitehall Funeral Chapel by Rev. Ted Keller. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery. Visitation will be today from 3-5 and 7-9 pm at the funeral home. Casketbearers: Jason Sutliffe, David Phelps, Mike Webb, Mike Withers, Lee Terrell, John Staton, and Lloyd Bennet, Jr. Honorary Pallbearers: Capt. Ed Pace, USN, Ret., Howard Adkins, Len Dhuley, Jim Foust, Bill Meader, Cal Pinney, Chet Scozen, and the rest of the crew. Contributions suggested to the American Heart Association; American Diabetes Association; or St. Jude Children’s Hospital.