Patricia Jeanne Phelps

Patricia Jeanne Phelps, 69, died at her home Monday, September 27, 2010. Pat was a cum laude graduate of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, and spent her last years as a dedicated employee for the state of Arkansas in the child support enforcement office. She consistently shared remarkable stories of customers providing positive feedback of empathy, compassion, warmth, and fervor as she would help them with their child support problems. This was reflected by customers regularly trying to request speaking to her when they called. Most significantly though, she began to recognize the importance of balancing the doing with the relational-being-spiritual aspects of her life as she battled terminal cancer. She most valued time spent being available as an incredibly wonderful and loving partner, mom, mother-in-law, and grandmother, whose authenticity and presence only seemed to be illuminated more fully by the very thing threatening to extinguish her life. She frequently likened herself to the character of Wyatt Earp due to her sense of loyalty and protectiveness of her family, and especially her three boys. She was affectionately known as "Gamma" by her four granddaughters and two step-granddaughters, and grew to practice being more fully present in their lives by getting down in the floor often and playing baby dolls, board-games, dress-up, hide-and-seek, and having sleepovers despite her illness. Spiritually, she was a long term member and regularly attended Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church, though her relationship with God was foremost. In her last years, her witty sense of humor and devotion to her family and friends demonstrated and encouraged living life moment to moment in discovery, wonderment, delight, and sometimes just plain nuttiness. Like many of us, I know in certain ways my mom simply learned to survive as a child, but in the face of an impossible challenge she also was learning to thrive. In owning her mistakes or connecting with her in beautiful moments of shared sadness and grief, I consistently reminded her that she was only human, and was always and in all ways doing her best, as she was remembering how to express more and more who she truly was. Patricia is preceded in death by her father, Jack Sargent of Dallas, Texas, mother and stepfather Jacquelyn and Bill Marks, and former mother-in-law (and mentor), Virginia Rose Phelps. She is survived by her long-term partner and significant other Nicholas Hendricks, three sons and three daughters-in-law, Eric and Whitney Phelps, John and Lori Phelps, Paul and Jennifer Phelps, four granddaughters, Maddy, Jessica, Annabel, and Erica Phelps, and two step-granddaughters, Wesley and Brennan Henson, all of Little Rock. She is also survived by a sister Nancy, half-brother, Bill Marks of Little Rock, and half-sister, Linda O'Connell of Fayetteville, Ark. The family would like to take this space to acknowledge and appreciate Dr. Joseph Beck II, and his staff, and their unwavering service in the care of our mother during the last five years. The family also wishes to encourage anyone who has impacted her life, or whose life she may have touched, by extending an invitation for celebration from 5 to 7 p.m., Thursday, September 30th, 2010, at Griffin Leggett Healey and Roth Funeral Home, 5800 W. 12th Street, LR, or through attendance of funeral services being held 10 a.m., Friday, October 1, 2010, at Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church, Woodlawn, LR., with Reverend Jeff Hampton officiating. Burial will follow at Pinecrest Memorial Park in Alexander. Memorials may be made to Cancer Friends at Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church. Please share your memories and stories about Patricia at www.griffinleggetthealeyroth.com.