In the early hours of May 3, this world lost a wonderful man with the passing of Edwin Phelps. He lived the 98 years of his life to the fullest and was the best father and husband to his family.

Our dad was born in Clifton, NJ on March 1, 1924, the eldest child of Edward and Marion (Renkel) Phelps. As a boy, he would ride with the farm truck to Wayne, where he picked peas to earn a bit of money to help feed his family. A fisherman and entrepreneur from an early age, he tied flies and sold them at his grandfather's cigar store in Paterson at the age of 12. In 1942, he graduated from Clifton High School and went to work at Curtis Wright in the personnel department. It was there that he met his future wife, Viola Anderson, when she applied for a job. They were married on April 9, 1944, in Carlstadt, NJ. At that time, Dad had enlisted in the Coast Guard, achieved the rank of Radioman 2nd Class, and served his country intercepting code during WWII while stationed on Long Island, NY and in Morocco. Until his dying day, he could tap out Morse Code like a second language. We grew up tapping out Morse Code at the dinner table many nights. He was not as successful teaching us how to box, another skill he learned in the Coast Guard!

When Dad returned home from serving in WWII, he worked for his grandfather at Phelps Engraving in Hawthorne, NJ. Eventually, he bought the business, renamed Graphic Engravers, Inc. and moved it to Paterson. He was an honest businessman and taught his children that honesty and developing personal relationships served you well in business and in life.

He and Viola moved to the "country," Wayne NJ, in 1953 to a home that he built much of himself. The family grew to three children, and a big event for us was going to see Dad bowl on Friday nights at the T-Bowl on the Nevins Dairy team. He soon built a small barn, fenced off a corral, and bought a horse. That was the beginning of his life with horses; he always did everything well and jumped in with both feet. He started the Trail Riders 4-H Club in Passaic County and was a great role model for many young 4-H equestrians.

The Phelps family and horses moved to Stillwater, NJ in 1965 to a small farm that he named Sun Dial Acres. My parents enjoyed the best years of their lives with the most wonderful friends who became second families to us. Dad started the Chaps and Breeches 4-H Club in Sussex County and devoted much of his time to the equine industry. He was a member of the Equine Advisory Board for the State of New Jersey and fulfilled his dream to breed and race a Quarter Horse, Jag's Sundial. He showed both English and Western horses, enjoyed trail rides with his Stillwater friends, and led many parades with his prize Quarter Horse, Bugger Wimpy.

At age 55, he decided he wanted to fish for the rest of his life, and that is exactly what he did. Retiring with Viola to Stuart, Florida and later moving to Barefoot Bay, Florida (the fishing was better there). Dad fished and played horseshoes right up until February 2022. He and Viola were avid shellers, and he shared his knowledge of shells with anyone who would listen. He was the past president of the Treasure Coast Shell Club and the Space Coast Shell Club. He won numerous awards for his artistic shell creations and Sailor's Valentines made with shells. Shelling took him from the shell pits of Florida (fossil shells) to South America and the Caribbean Islands.

Always known for being a great dancer, he and Viola became members of a square dance team in Florida. At any event, he was the first person on the dance floor and would dance every dance; dancing the polka with him literally swept you off your feet and cleared the dance floor! He knew how to enjoy a good party that was balanced by working hard; Dad always gave 100 percent to anything he did.

Viola predeceased him in 2012, but he decided to stay in the warm salty air of Florida, coming north to Vermont and New Jersey to visit with his children for a month or so in the summer. His memory will remain forever with his children; Ellen Phelps, Linda Heller (Gary), and Carl Phelps (Nan). His grandchildren; Toby Heller, Liana (Heller) Hennings, and Pia Phelps. His great grandchildren; Renato Diaz-Phelps, Bjorn Diaz-Phelps, and Cooper Hennings. He is survived by his sister Dorothy Scheirer; his other siblings have passed before him. He will be remembered with a smile by his nieces and nephews, his neighbors (and horseshoe pitching friends) in Barefoot Bay.

With everything he had done in his very full life, the most important of all was providing a loving, safe, and very interesting childhood for his three children. He taught us to be honest, to be kind, love what you do, enjoy life, have a sense of humor, never stop learning, work hard, how to plant our own vegetables and how to bet on the Kentucky Derby. We never wanted for anything, and for his time and love we will be forever grateful. I will miss you forever, Dad. You were so loved in this life, and I told him that every day.