Carroll Louis Phelps

Carroll Louis Phelps was born on December 19, 1935, in Magnolia, Mississippi, one of twin brothers born to Talmadge C. Phelps and Fay Louise Simmons Phelps. He was raised in Jackson, Mississippi, where he learned the values of faith, discipline, and service that would guide every season of his life. Carroll attended and graduated from Central High School in Jackson. Early in adulthood, he felt a calling to public service and pursued formal law-enforcement training at the Southern Police Institute in Louisville, Kentucky, preparing him for a lifetime of service to his community.
In 1988, Carroll married his beloved wife, Julia Phelps, beginning a marriage rooted in love, devotion, and a shared faith in Christ. Together they built a home centered on prayer, steadiness, and compassion. Outside of his professional life, Carroll enjoyed woodworking, playing pool, fishing, and quietly serving his community. He never met a stranger-known and deeply loved throughout the community; it was nearly impossible to take him anywhere without stopping to visit with an old friend or former colleague. A simple trip down a grocery store aisle often became an opportunity for fellowship, a handshake, and a shared memory. Above all, Carroll was a gentle soul and the spiritual anchor of his home, faithfully leading by example and pointing those around him toward Christ.
Carroll lived a life marked by service, dedication, and faithfulness. He served with the Jackson Police Department from 1957 to 1977, where he was a pioneer member of the department's first K-9 unit, helping establish a legacy that would endure for generations. His calling to protect and serve continued with the Reservoir Patrol, Madison County Sheriff's Department, Canton Police Department, and ultimately the Madison–Rankin District Attorney's Office, where he served under five District Attorneys, most recently Bubba Bramlett. In recognition of his extraordinary commitment to public service, Carroll was honored for a distinguished law-enforcement career spanning 65 consecutive years, the longest in Mississippi history-a testament to a life spent faithfully answering God's call to serve.
Carrol was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather. He is survived by his beloved wife, Julia Phelps; his daughter, Michele Wallace (William Wallace); and his cherished grandchildren Bianca Apuzzo, Louis Phelps, Brian Callahan, and Wyatt Wallace, along with his beloved honorary granddaughter, Marki Ackerman.
He is also survived by his sisters-in-law Catherine Phelps and Johnnie Marshall; niece Johnnie McKee (James); nephews and nieces Marshall McKee (Meghan), Donald McKee (Tiffany), Chloe McKee, Bradley McKee, Richard Sawin (Eva), John Phelps, Benjamin Phelps, and Rusty Phelps; beloved extended family members Tina Maskew, Deena Nelson, and Jason Barlow; along with numerous other nieces and nephews who loved him dearly.
Carroll was welcomed home by his parents, Talmadge C. Phelps and Fay Louise Simmons Phelps; his daughter, Teresa Phelps; his brother, Calvin Phelps; his nephew, Billy Phelps; his sister-in-law, Meredith A. Sawin; his brother-in-law, Glen Allen Marshall; his niece, Charlotte Haines-McKee; and his in-laws, Jabus Vander Slade and Marjorie Slade, who rejoiced to greet him in Heaven.
Pallbearers will be Marshall McKee, Louie Phelps, Bradley McKee, William Wallace, Donald McKee, and Tommy Ray Savant. James McKee will serve as an honorary pallbearer.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Friday, January 9, with visitation from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at First Ridgeland, 302 W. Jackson Street, Ridgeland, MS 39157. A graveside service with police honors will follow immediately at Jessamine Cemetery, 306 Sagewood Dr. Ridgeland, MS 39157. Though we grieve his passing, we rejoice in the promise of eternal life, knowing that Carroll has gone home to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and that we will see him again.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the First Ridgeland Church Benevolence Fund, a ministry held close to Carroll's heart and reflective of his lifelong commitment to serving others in Christ's name. Flowers, if sent, should be delivered to First Ridgeland.