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Mayor Bobby Carl
"Bob" Phelps
Carrollton &
Farmers Branch
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Bob Phelps Retires as City's Longest Serving Mayor
 Having
overseen one of the most important eras in the City's storied history, Bob
Phelps retired in May, having served longer as Farmers Branch Mayor than anyone
since the City was incorporated 62 years ago.
First elected to the Farmers Branch City Council in 1986, following a term on
the Zoning Board of Adjustment and Building Code Board of Appeals, he was
elected Farmers Branch Mayor in 1996.
In the 12 years since Mayor Phelps has presided over expansion in Farmers
Branch, including the creation of the Neighborhood Renaissance Program,
construction of City facilities including the Justice Center, Senior Center,
Community Recreation Center and most recently, Fire Station No. 3 and the Fire
Administration Building that was named in his honor. Those, and many other
capital improvements projects through the years, have been paid for upon
completion by the City's Pay-As-You-Go program that has, by avoiding debt
service on these projects, saved more than $37 million in interest payment since
the 1990s.
Under Mayor Phelps' leadership, Farmers Branch made history in 1997, then
again in 1998, by returning a portion of a budget surplus to property taxpayers
in the form of a "tax dividend."
Additionally, Mayor Phelps always was found at City festivals and events,
acting instrumentally in the creation of the City's Veterans Day Celebration and
establishment of the Veterans Walk of Honor at City Hall.
What most residents didn't see was the Mayor's behind-the-scenes work on
their behalf as President of the Dallas Mobility Coalition, serving on the
Regional Transportation Council, as an active participant in both the Farmers
Branch and Metrocrest Chambers of Commerce, and as President of the North
Central Texas Council of Governments, serving a 16 county region.
As a businessman, Mayor Phelps served as an agent for State Farm Insurance
for more than 50 of those years.
Branch Review; City of Farmers Branch, Texas, USA; June 2008
Submitted by Edward Lynn
Williams |
| NEWSPAPER
ADVERTISEMENT
Partial Clipping of an Advertisement from the Carrollton Chronicle, Thursday,
May 7, 1964
Submitted by Edward Lynn
Williams
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OBITUARY
 Bobby
Carl (Bob) Phelps
July 1, 1937 - October 23, 2022
Mayor Bobby Carl (Bob) Phelps passed away at his home on Sunday, October
23, 2022, at the age of 85. Bob was born in Waurika, Oklahoma on July 1,
1937, to Robert William (Willie) & Tiny Purtell Phelps.
Bob’s family, including his two sisters, Bess Phelps Elkins, and Pat
Phelps Hunt, moved to Terral, Oklahoma in 1953. This is where he met his
high school sweetheart, Dee, and they married in 1955 and came to Dallas
to start their life together. They had two children, son, Rob and
daughter, Kim.
Bob was predeceased by his parents, and his son, Rob. He is survived by
his loving wife, Dee, of 67 years, daughter, Kim Phelps Holtzman and
husband, Mike; two grandchildren, Shane Mullens, Shealee Greer and
husband, Tony; two great grandsons, Ryder, and Casen Greer; his sisters,
Bess Phelps Elkins, and Pat Phelps Hunt, and many other family members
and friends.
Bob loved his family very much and enjoyed time spent with them!
Bob and Dee loved to travel and just being together. They were blessed
with a wonderful life.
He worked for Frontier Manufacturing Company for 8 years and then became
a State Farm Insurance Agent in 1963 until he retired in 2006. He was a
very successful agent and won lots of awards.
Church has always been a major part of their lives. Bob accepted Christ
as His Savior at age 12. He and his dad were baptized together at First
Baptist Church in Terral, Oklahoma. He was a member of the First Baptist
Church in Carrollton joining in 1987. He loved the church and enjoyed
being a part of the Forerunners Ministry. Bob was in Rod Bunch’s Sunday
School class. He served as Chairman of the Deacons, treasurer, and usher
from many years. He was a greeter and sang in the Sanctuary Choir.
A list of Bob’s accomplishments consisted of being elected to Farmers
Branch City Council and served for 9 years, he was then elected as Mayor
of Farmers Branch, Texas and served for 15 years. He was President of
the Metroplex Mayors Association, President of North Texas Council of
Governments, and President of Metrocrest Republican Club. Bob also
served as a board member of the following, Regional Transportation
Council, Dallas Regional Mobility Coalition, Farmers Branch Chamber of
Commerce, Metrocrest Chamber of Commerce, and the Metrocrest Hospital
Authority. He received the Paul Harris Fellow Award.
Bob was the founding member of the Metrocrest Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast.
In 2008, Bob was honored with the opening of the “Bob Phelps Fire
Administration Building”.
Funeral Services have been entrusted to long time friend John P. Brooks
Bob has requested that this is to be a “Celebration of his Life” and not
a sad event.
The family will be receiving visitors on Monday, October 31, 2022, from
12:30 pm to 2:00 pm.
The Celebration of Life service will begin at 2:00 pm
First Baptist Church at The Fields,
1401 Carrollton Pkwy, Carrollton, TX 75010
Pastor Brent Taylor officiating, Senior Pastor First Baptist Church of
The Fields.
Following the service there will be a procession to Keenan Cemetery,
2750 Valley View Lane, Farmers Branch, Texas 75234 where Bob will be
interred at 4:00 pm |
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PHELPS
BOB C. - JULY 1, 1937 - OCT 23, 2022
Councilman 9 yrs, Mayor 12 yrs
DEWONDA "DEE" - NOV. 20, 1937 - BLANK
Married Sept. 3, 1955
Keenan Cemetery,
Farmers Branch, Dallas County, Texas
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