Bert Phelps, Jr.

 

Bert Phelps, Jr. passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family on Monday, December 18, 2023 at the age of 91.  He was a loving, devoted husband, father, grandfather and friend. He was born in Gulfport, Mississippi on August 11, 1932.  As a young man, he served his country in the United States Coast Guard and United States Navy. Later, he pursued and successfully obtained degrees from the University of Southern Mississippi and Mississippi State University.  In a span exceeding 30 years, he worked for the Mississippi Department of Agriculture, Mississippi Employment Agency, and he eventually retired from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College in 1989.  On Saturday, February 8, 1958, he and Dorothy Carole Phelps were united in marriage at the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer in Biloxi, Mississippi. This date and time marked the beginning of nearly 66 years of a committed marriage.  He very much enjoyed his time outdoors boating and fishing around the barrier islands and spending time with his brother, T.W., and friends at camps on the Pascagoula River and in Washington County, Alabama.  Traveling extensively with his spouse upon retirement was perhaps his greatest passion. Together, they visited 32 countries and 22 islands.  With his generous personality, robust sense of humor, and his extensive life experiences, he made many lasting friendships over the years. He will be deeply missed by many.  He was preceded in death by his parents, Bert Phelps, Sr. and Elsie B. Phelps; brothers, Curmit Phelps and T.W. Phelps; and sisters, Ethel Brumbaugh and Ola Jane Lewis.  He leaves to cherish his memories, his wife, Dorothy C. Phelps; son, Brentley (Karla) Phelps; grandson, Landon Phelps; sister, Gloria Stafford; along with numerous nieces and nephews. Services will be held at Biloxi National Cemetery on a later date. Bradford-O'Keefe Funeral Home is honored to serve the family of Bert Phelps, Jr.