Corey Charles Phelps

Longtime Des Moines resident Corey Charles Phelps, 74, died on January 30, 2020 at Granger Care Facility, following his bad habits. The body was cremated and no services are planned. Burial will be on a date to be determined at the Table Rock, Nebraska, Cemetery.

Corey was born in 1945 at the U. S. Navy Hospital on North Island, San Diego, California, to Betty Jeanne Oliphant Phelps of Minneapolis and Edwin Basich of Columbus, Ohio ¬¬ both of whom served in the Navy during the Second World War. His grandmother, Fannie Ida Mae Dixon Oliphant, was also very involved in his upbringing.

The family relocated to Des Moines in 1949 during an especially virulent polio outbreak at Minneapolis. Corey attended Brooks and Jefferson Elementary Schools, and Lincoln Junior and Senior High Schools, graduating in 1963. He studied under William S. E. Coleman at Drake University, receiving a BFA in 1969, and completed some work toward a masters at the State University College, Plattsburgh, New York.

After graduating from Drake Corey and Jolene Van Hooser were married, and during most of the 1970s they lived and worked principally at New York City, with time also at Ashland, Oregon. Corey treasured those years and their adventures, which also saw the arrival of their children.

Back in Des Moines, Corey worked almost three decades at Iowa Power and Light Company (and its successors) before retiring. He also did some work in amateur theater and television.

He was married more than thirty years to the love of his life, Janet Woods.

Corey is survived by his beloved sons Benjamin Phelps (and Caroline Caron¬-Phelps) of Brooklyn, New York, and Stephen Phelps (and Carrie) of Olympia, Washington; his beloved step¬son Kent Lee of Des Moines and step¬daughter Natalie Rounds (and Jay Linzy) of Paron, Arkansas; and seven grandchildren: Abigail Phelps. Miles Phelps and Jazmine Hooper of Olympia, Washington; Izabella Lee of Kuna, Idaho; Lilliana Lee and Layla Lee of Des Moines; and Emily Owens of New York, NY. Corey’s other survivors are his best friends for a lifetime Janet Woods of Hot Springs Village, Arkansas, and Jolene Phelps of Des Moines, Iowa.

Corey's memberships included the American Civil Liberties Union, American Vectorist Association, Des Moines Streetcar Friends, Planned Parenthood, Railroad Collectors Association, Southern Poverty Law Center and the Democrat Party. He is proud to be a former member of the National Rifle Association, having quit when, in his opinion, they went berserk.

Back in his college days a few good friends were sitting around drinking beer, and the conversation meandered around to what they wanted written on their headstones when the time came. Corey composed his thoughts on the matter.

Christ died for our sins,
Trotsky died for the masses,
Dylan died of the drink,
And Wilmot died of the lasses. (1)

And when I’m lain in the earth
With all my living behind me,
I hope I’m so totally spent
The maggots can’t even find me.

For Death is unkind to folks who are blind
And sacrifice life to efficiency ¬¬
When your time has come ‘tis best to succumb
To an Excess, and not a Deficiency.

(1) John Wilmot, Second Earl of Rochester. Google him. You’ll be glad you did.

Corey was disappointed recently to learn this was not going to fit on his tombstone. He also allowed that anyone adhering to these principles would be well advised to die before the chickens started coming home to roost.

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