Lewis Allen Phelps

Lewis Allen Phelps returned peacefully to his Heavenly Father on March 14, 2026, surrounded by the love of his family. Born on May 24, 1938, in Mesa, Arizona, Lewis lived a life centered on faith, family, music, and service. Those who knew him will remember his gentle spirit, warm humor, and the genuine interest he took in every person he met.

He earned three degrees in music from the University of Arizona, which began a lifelong devotion to teaching and sharing the joy of music. Lewis served a full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the New England Mission, where he met Jean Frodsham, who became his beloved wife and eternal companion. Together they raised four children—Michele, Elna, Allyson, and Brad—and built a family that grew to include twelve grandchildren and six great-grandchildren, all of whom brought him immense joy.

Teaching was one of Lewis’s greatest gifts. During thirty-five years at Mount Union College, along with time spent teaching at Point Loma High School, the BYU Jerusalem Center, and the Osher program, he blessed thousands of students with his knowledge and enthusiasm. A devoted disciple of Jesus Christ, he served faithfully in many church callings, including bishop, Young Men president, and branch president. He especially loved working with youth, offering quiet encouragement and strengthening testimonies that many carried with them for a lifetime.

Lewis found joy in racquetball, backpacking, woodworking, baking bread and pies, and learning new arts such as the Japanese shamisen and calligraphy. Music remained his lifelong expression of faith, and he arranged dozens of hymns for friends that continue to lift hearts. He will be remembered for his quiet faith, steady kindness, and the way he made people feel valued and loved. His legacy lives on in his family, the countless students whose lives he touched, and the music that testifies of the Savior.