Phelps, Ralph L.

Ralph L. Phelps died on January 8, 2017, at age 71.

He is survived by Linda H. Phelps, his wife of 44 years, and his children, Dr. Joshua Phelps of Ogden, Utah, and Jennifer Phelps of Boulder, Colorado. Ralph was a nuclear engineer and spent his professional career in management and engineering for nuclear power plants in Connecticut, California and Nebraska. During this time he also served on numerous industry committees. Even though originally from New York, Ralph was a bona fide New Mexican. His attachment to the state began with his being stationed at Kirtland Air Force Base in the early 1970s. This assignment included interactions with the Sandia Lab and the Los Alamos Laboratory. He would never lose his attachment to New Mexico after that, and the family vacations were spent camping in El Malpais when they were not visiting upstate New York. Most recently, Ralph had become intrigued by the history of the tiny San Francisco de Asis Catholic Church in Golden, New Mexico. He helped repair the ceiling of the church after the old one crumbled, and he was actively cataloguing and researching the history of its adjacent cemetery where some of the graves date back to the 1700s.

Services for Ralph will be held Saturday, January 14, 2017, 10:00 a.m. at FRENCH - Lomas with a reception to follow. If you wish to remember Ralph, the family suggests that he would be pleased by contributions to Catholic Charities, 2010 Bridge Boulevard SW, Albuquerque, NM 87105, or the charity of your choice. Please visit our online guestbook for Ralph at www.FrenchFunerals.com