Lawanna J Phelps , September 16, 1934 — January 18, 2019

OBITUARY Lawanna J. Phelps September 16, 1934 – January 18, 2019 Lawanna Phelps, came into this world on September of 1934 in Texarkana Texas, the daughter of a line switchman for the Cotten Belt railroad. Lawanna passed away on Friday, January 18, 2019 in Wichita. Soon after graduating Valedictorian from Liberty High class of 1950, Lawanna went to work for a downtown dime store and, later, for the telephone company where she stayed until 1953, at which time she married a young man, Irby, fresh out of the service and started her long journey with him.

In 1954 she he had a son, John, after which they pulled up stake and moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma where Irby worked as a plumber for a time. At this point they received word of steady work in Wichita were Irby where they ended up where Irby gained employment at the School Board and Lawanna at Beech Aircraft as a secretary in Product Support. In 1956 a baby girl came, Linda.

The two bought a modest home and spent the next 20 years raising a family. When not cooking or doing house work Lawanna was an avid reader and sometimes read two books a week! She would often read about far away places many of which she would never go however around 1968, after reading “Hawaii” by James Michener she became inspired and signed up for an employee trip to visit Hawaii with coworkers and had an adventure she would remember forever.

Lawanna also loved to travel America with her family and planned and went on many “summer vacation” trips in America’s campgrounds and saw many beautiful things. Lawanna also enjoyed sports such as bicycle riding and volleyball where she played on a women’s league on Wednesday nights during the 60’s. In 1982 she retired and enjoyed her much deserved leisure time and road trips with Irby.

The year 2003 was bittersweet because it marked her 50 year anniversary but also the death of her husband. For the first time Lawanna was alone but, with bravery and great difficulity, she faced the lonely road ahead as well as her slow decent into the dark world of Alzheimer’s. Lawanna is preceded in death by her parents and brother, Boyce.

Survivors include two kids (John and Linda) and two grandchildren (Phillip and Stacy) and two great granchildren (Blake and Allen). Celebration of Life service will be 2:00 p.m. on Friday January 25, 2018 at Lakeview Funeral Home, 12100 E. 13th St. N., Wichita.

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