Katie Phelps

Katie Lucille Phelps the daughter of Thelma Martin and Beulah (Jefferies) Clevenger was born August 24, 1937, in Tulsa, Oklahoma and departed this life on September 7, 2020, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma at the age of 83 years and 14 days.

Katie graduated from Central High School in 1955. She was a cheerleader and member of the elite Blackskirts. She started college at Central State University (now UCO) and finished her first year before getting married at nineteen. In her own words, thirteen years and three children later she graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in Secondary Education. She returned to college in 1981 and received her Master's Degree in Language Arts in 1985. She taught her entire career at Putnam City High School. In conjunction with her English Literature, she sponsored many trips to England traveling with her students bringing the history to life. She was a tough teacher and her students were college ready in English after her class. She also spent many years as the Pep Club sponsor. In her retirement she taught several classes at Northeastern State University. She loved teaching and never lost her passion for it. She had a deep, abiding faith in God and used her teaching gift in nearly every church where she was a member.

Katie and Johnnie were married in 1956 and had three children. Other than a six year hiatus, they were married for 52 years. They traveled extensively with friends and relatives. She retired to Lake Tenkiller in 1993 and loved the lake life and living at Cookson. She made many friends whom she cherished in Oklahoma City and at Lake Tenkiller. She had a great sense humor and dealt with most situations in kind. Katie touched many lives over the years and will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved her.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband Johnnie Phelps; her daughter Sara Phelps; her brother Tommy Clevenger; and her sisters Joyce Price and Sharon Parker.

She is survived by a loving family which includes her children Kathy Dixon and husband John of Oklahoma City, Jeff Phelps and wife Debbie of Oklahoma City; 7 grandchildren, and 10 great grandchildren. Several nieces, nephews, friends and other relatives also survive her. Special thanks to the Mansions at Waterford and Frontier Hospice for the care given in the last two months of her life.