Richard Phelan Obituary: Following an unexpected illness, Richard James Phelan died quietly on July 16, 2024, in the company of his loved ones. In 1938, Harold and Anna (Peltak) Phelan welcomed Richard into the world in Lewiston, Maine, and shortly afterward, the family moved back to Manchester. Richard was only twelve years old when Anna tragically passed away in 1950, and his father Harold passed away in 1953.
Richard had a great trombone career. At nineteen, he enlisted in the 39th Army Band. Many of the friendships from this group, which operated as a family, are still intact. In parades and concerts in New Hampshire, which his family frequently attended, he played trombone and served as a drum major. In July 1962, Richard tied the knot with Sally Thibeault, the love of his life, to start his own family. Leo and Emma Thibeault, Sally’s parents, greeted Richard as their new son-in-law.
After being orphaned at an early age, Richard would often talk about how much Leo and Emma meant to him and how great it was to be a part of this family. The family’s open arms as they welcomed him as their second son changed his life. Richard devoted his life to Sally and his four kids. In addition to his own family, he also cherished his Hibernian, band, and work families. His fifteen nieces and nephews were devoted to their Uncle Richard, whom they all cherished.
After a brief stay in Manchester, Richard and Sally relocated to Derry, Sally’s homeland, where they spent the next thirty years raising their family. Sandy O’Brien of Merrimack, New Hampshire, her sister-in-law Gene Thibeault and his wife, Deborah Askew, of British Columbia, brother-in-law Garrett Phelan and his wife, Janet Nordman, of Fairport, New York, and his wife, Sally Phelan of Hooksett, New Hampshire, are among his surviving family members.
SERVICES: Lambert Funeral Home & Crematory, 1799 Elm St., Manchester, will have calling hours on Thursday, August 1 from 4 to 7 p.m. On Friday, August 2, at 10 a.m., there will be a burial service at the funeral home. The deceased will then be buried at the New Hampshire State Veterans Cemetery, located at 110 Daniel Webster Highway, Boscawen.
