| Edwin Phelps Chaplin Served: 1970-1971 E-Mail: edeaph@bellsouth.net Address: 1328 Melrose Street Bowling Green, KY 42104 (270) 843-1508 Edwin Phelps is currently the First Vice Commander of The American Legion Post 23 and a reporter of their regional paper The Pace Setter VFW Post 1298 Post Chaplain |
| Ed Phelps & Ralph Sharper, need the story here. |
| Jimmy Williams, Pete O'Malley, Benny Wilhelm, Edwin Phelps, Aubrey Wrench, Roger Kriz |
| Edwin Phelps & Benny Wilhelm, brothers then-brothers now. Picture supplied by Jimmy Williams |
ELEASE
By Edwin Phelps
Elease had a rough last three years.
She had been a widow for about twenty years.
She met a fellow who had been divorced about as long.
Neither had plans to ever remarry, but they both fell head over
heals for each other.
Elease had just retired. She said she had worked hard as a
registered nurse most of her life, and she was ready to travel and
do things.
After a semi-private wedding and a reception with over 300 people,
she and her new husband were on the go all the time. She was
American Legion Post 23 Chaplain, VFW 1298 Chaplain, song
leader for the local AARP Chapter 1967. She was involved in
activities at the First Baptist, Fairview Memorial Missionary
Baptist, BGAMUG Computer Club, the Sou. Ky. Genealogical
Society, her yearly high school class reunions, and her Bible study
group. She loved every group and every member. She and her
husband were going to plays, concerts, or festivals every week and
went on several bus trips. They had reservations for a long
weekend at Gatlinburg, plans for a cruise, and plans for a trip to
the Grand Canyon.
Then, after five months of marriage, Elease had a cerebral
hemorrhage while walking near her house. She was on a ventilator
and feeding tube for a month in ICU before the doctors thought
they would try to see if she would breath on her own. She passed
the test. Her husband never gave up on her.
Elease started a long road of recovery. Her right side was
paralyzed, and she had her own language. She could not say her
name or her husband's name. She could sing Amazing Grace.
Through all this, her mind remained good. She knew what had
happened and the problems she was having.
After three months plus of therapy, Elease came home. She could
stand and take a couple of steps by holding on to something. She
wanted to get out of her disposable diapers and into regular
panties. Her husband agreed. She did fine the first two days.
Then on the third, she woke up wet. Her husband joked, "What
have you done?" She started crying and said, "I'm sorry." That
broke his heart. She was trying so hard to do right, and she
thought he was fussing at her. She never wet her panties again.
She had home health come in for her arm, walking, and talking until
she had maxed out on what they could do. She fell and broke a hip,
and she fought back from that. She went to outpatient therapy at a
small gym. They said no one worked harder.
She improved in some small way every day. She could do all her
dressing and makeup except for hooking her bra. She was so
excited the morning she walked into her church instead of riding in
her wheelchair. She was able to go out the house on her own and
walk with a cane down the street and back (over a fourth of a mile.)
She never got her right arm to working well despite nightly
exercises. But her grip was improving, and there was another plan
for it. Her speech was coming back. She stayed optimistic, and
that kept her husband's spirits up. She could remember all her
appointments, and she would remind her husband of them.
Then, on 13 January 2010, another disaster struck. Elease and her
husband often ate their Wednesday night meals at the First Baptist
Church. She walked into church, had a good meal, and got half way
up the steps going out when a terrible pain hit her. She thought
another bladder infection.
She finally got in the car and went to the ER. The doctor said all
looked well except for some spots in her lung and on her liver. He
wanted to keep her overnight and look a little closer. The next
morning the hospitalise met with her and her husband. The doctor
had looked at earlier scans and conferred with other doctors.
Without a doubt it was liver cancer. No cure. Treatment
chemotherapy, but not a cure just a delay. Elease knew exactly
what liver cancer meant. She pointed toward heaven.
Here was a lady who was the youngest of ten children and went to a
one room schoolhouse her first eight years. She had been a
registered nurse 43 years. She was an original employee of
Greenview Hospital and the first employee of the year. She had
been on 25 medical mission trips, could cook, can, bake, sew,
crochet, and quilt. She could milk, set tobacco, and work a team.
She was a speed reader, efficiency expert, and sung with the
Singing Seniors. Several doctors said she was the best nurse
Greenview Hospital had ever had. She would zip through a yard
sale and every weekend bring home a dollar bargain.
Now she was given just a few months to live. She went on to
Hospice, and they treated her pain with morphine. After a few
weeks, she came home for the last time. About the third day, she
woke up crying. When asked if she needed pain medicine, she said
"No, I'm sorry." When asked what she was sorry about, she told
her husband, "I'm just sorry I've let you down by being sick."
There was no way she let him down, he said. How many of us could
feel that way while dying of cancer? Again his heart was broken.
After a month at home, her legs gave out. She could not support
herself to get out of bed into her wheelchair or to go her bedside
potty. Her mind was still good, and she understood that she would
have to go back to Hospice. She died there on 23 March 2010 with
only her husband in her room. She never once complained nor lost
her faith in God.
She was my wife Elease Phelps. I loved her and admired her.... and
I always will.
By Edwin Phelps
Elease had a rough last three years.
She had been a widow for about twenty years.
She met a fellow who had been divorced about as long.
Neither had plans to ever remarry, but they both fell head over
heals for each other.
Elease had just retired. She said she had worked hard as a
registered nurse most of her life, and she was ready to travel and
do things.
After a semi-private wedding and a reception with over 300 people,
she and her new husband were on the go all the time. She was
American Legion Post 23 Chaplain, VFW 1298 Chaplain, song
leader for the local AARP Chapter 1967. She was involved in
activities at the First Baptist, Fairview Memorial Missionary
Baptist, BGAMUG Computer Club, the Sou. Ky. Genealogical
Society, her yearly high school class reunions, and her Bible study
group. She loved every group and every member. She and her
husband were going to plays, concerts, or festivals every week and
went on several bus trips. They had reservations for a long
weekend at Gatlinburg, plans for a cruise, and plans for a trip to
the Grand Canyon.
Then, after five months of marriage, Elease had a cerebral
hemorrhage while walking near her house. She was on a ventilator
and feeding tube for a month in ICU before the doctors thought
they would try to see if she would breath on her own. She passed
the test. Her husband never gave up on her.
Elease started a long road of recovery. Her right side was
paralyzed, and she had her own language. She could not say her
name or her husband's name. She could sing Amazing Grace.
Through all this, her mind remained good. She knew what had
happened and the problems she was having.
After three months plus of therapy, Elease came home. She could
stand and take a couple of steps by holding on to something. She
wanted to get out of her disposable diapers and into regular
panties. Her husband agreed. She did fine the first two days.
Then on the third, she woke up wet. Her husband joked, "What
have you done?" She started crying and said, "I'm sorry." That
broke his heart. She was trying so hard to do right, and she
thought he was fussing at her. She never wet her panties again.
She had home health come in for her arm, walking, and talking until
she had maxed out on what they could do. She fell and broke a hip,
and she fought back from that. She went to outpatient therapy at a
small gym. They said no one worked harder.
She improved in some small way every day. She could do all her
dressing and makeup except for hooking her bra. She was so
excited the morning she walked into her church instead of riding in
her wheelchair. She was able to go out the house on her own and
walk with a cane down the street and back (over a fourth of a mile.)
She never got her right arm to working well despite nightly
exercises. But her grip was improving, and there was another plan
for it. Her speech was coming back. She stayed optimistic, and
that kept her husband's spirits up. She could remember all her
appointments, and she would remind her husband of them.
Then, on 13 January 2010, another disaster struck. Elease and her
husband often ate their Wednesday night meals at the First Baptist
Church. She walked into church, had a good meal, and got half way
up the steps going out when a terrible pain hit her. She thought
another bladder infection.
She finally got in the car and went to the ER. The doctor said all
looked well except for some spots in her lung and on her liver. He
wanted to keep her overnight and look a little closer. The next
morning the hospitalise met with her and her husband. The doctor
had looked at earlier scans and conferred with other doctors.
Without a doubt it was liver cancer. No cure. Treatment
chemotherapy, but not a cure just a delay. Elease knew exactly
what liver cancer meant. She pointed toward heaven.
Here was a lady who was the youngest of ten children and went to a
one room schoolhouse her first eight years. She had been a
registered nurse 43 years. She was an original employee of
Greenview Hospital and the first employee of the year. She had
been on 25 medical mission trips, could cook, can, bake, sew,
crochet, and quilt. She could milk, set tobacco, and work a team.
She was a speed reader, efficiency expert, and sung with the
Singing Seniors. Several doctors said she was the best nurse
Greenview Hospital had ever had. She would zip through a yard
sale and every weekend bring home a dollar bargain.
Now she was given just a few months to live. She went on to
Hospice, and they treated her pain with morphine. After a few
weeks, she came home for the last time. About the third day, she
woke up crying. When asked if she needed pain medicine, she said
"No, I'm sorry." When asked what she was sorry about, she told
her husband, "I'm just sorry I've let you down by being sick."
There was no way she let him down, he said. How many of us could
feel that way while dying of cancer? Again his heart was broken.
After a month at home, her legs gave out. She could not support
herself to get out of bed into her wheelchair or to go her bedside
potty. Her mind was still good, and she understood that she would
have to go back to Hospice. She died there on 23 March 2010 with
only her husband in her room. She never once complained nor lost
her faith in God.
She was my wife Elease Phelps. I loved her and admired her.... and
I always will.