Raymond R. Phelps

Raymond R. Phelps, age 59, passed away suddenly on Saturday, November 12, 2016, while working out at his country home in Genoa, Minnesota. The memorial service will be at 3:00 pm on Friday, November 18, 2016, at Ranfranz and Vine Funeral Homes, 5421 Royal Place NW, Rochester. The visitation will be from 1:00-3:00 pm at the funeral home. Memorials are preferred to Lyle Area Cancer or to a charity of the donors choice. Raymond Ralph Phelps was born on April 6, 1957, in Rochester, to Ward and Dorothy (Stanchfield) Phelps. He graduated from Mayo High School in 1975. On August 2, 1980, he married his soul mate, Tara Cooling. Together they raised their children at their happy place in rural Byron. Ray was a hard-working man with many incredible talents. He worked as a machinist in the Division of Engineering at Mayo Clinic for 37 years. Ray was always tinkering away at projects and making things work better. He was known as Mr. Fix-It to his family. Ray was an avid sportsman and loved the outdoors. He felt at home on land or water as long as he had his family and a golden yummy. Over the years, he enjoyed fishing, hunting, scuba diving, camping, snowmobiling, riding Harley, bowling, a good game of cribbage and cheering on the MN Vikings and Twins. Ray leaves behind his beloved wife, Tara; daughters, Trisha (Brian) Shanahan and Laura Phelps; sons, Jonathan Bud Phelps; grandsons, Brandon and Zachary Shanahan; brother, Ward (Eleanor) Phelps; mother-in-law, Patricia (Dale) Peters; many in-laws, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, dear friends and his loyal hound, Tex. Ray was preceded in death by his parents, Ward and Dorothy; infant brother; father-in-law, Roger Cooling; sister-in-law, Tracy Schilling; his maternal and paternal grandparents. Arrangements are with Ranfranz and Vine Funeral Homes. Special memories may be left for the family at www.ranfranzandvinefh.com Ranfranz and Vine Funeral Home 5421 Royal Place NW Rochester MN 55901