Larry Gene Phelps

Larry Gene Phelps, 86, of Grundy Center, Iowa, passed away peacefully on January 8, 2024, at the Grundy County Memorial Hospital in Grundy Center.

Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, January 18, 2024, at Abels Funeral and Cremation Service, Engelkes Chapel in Grundy Center. A funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, January 19, 2024, at Cornerstone Methodist Church in Grundy Center, Iowa. The burial will be held privately by the family. Memorials may be directed to the family. Family members will then donate to Larry’s favorite organizations.

Larry was born on July 17, 1937, to his parents Russ and Ila (Towers) Phelps of Bondurant, Iowa. Larry graduated from Ankeny High School and following graduation started working for John Deere in Ankeny, Iowa. He then married his high school sweetheart, JoAnn (Reynolds) of Polk City, Iowa. They were united in marriage on September 2, 1956, they welcomed two children into their family.

Larry traveled worldwide for John Deere. After leaving John Deere they moved to Grundy Center in 1970, where Larry bought into Rewerts John Deere Implement. In his 48 years of servicing the Grundy Center, Reinbeck, Conrad, and Dike areas, he had accumulated six implement stores, Grundy Center, Reinbeck, Wellsburg, Green, Hampton, and Hubbard stores. After the death of his wife JoAnn in 1996, Larry was united in marriage to Donita (Poley) on December 6, 1997. They enjoyed each other for 26 years. After retiring on October 31, 2017, they moved to Okoboji in June of 2019.

Larry loved being on the lake in his boat and spending time with his family and friends. He was well respected by the community. He donated to many organizations. He will be missed, and long remembered.

Larry is survived by his daughter Terri (Jim) Severance; son Randy Phelps (Lisa Hartke); grandchildren Jason Severance and Allyse Phelps (Mark Jesse); and great-grandson Laken Severance. He was preceded in death by his parents; wife of 40 years JoAnn; sister Sharron Tweet; and brother-in-law Bob Tweet.

Click here to visit the Abels Funeral and Cremation Service website.