Phelps, Thora Anderson (1925-2014)

PHELPS, ANDERSON, HAHN, MANDT, HERRLINGER

Posted By: Paul Nagy (email)
Date: 8/30/2014 at 22:39:26

Thora Anderson Phelps
October 6, 1925 – August 7, 2014

Thora Anderson Phelps, longtime Northfielder and St. Olaf College administrator, died peacefully on Thursday morning at the Northfield Care Center after a four-month illness. She was 88.

Born October 6, 1925, in Mason City, Iowa, Thora was the first child of C. Tim Anderson and Thea Mandt. She grew up in Forest City, Iowa, and graduated from Waldorf College in Forest City and then from St. Olaf College in Northfield in 1947. She taught school in Spirit Lake and Sheldon, Iowa, and then, in 1951, was named to the staff of St. Olaf’s Dean of Women, Gertrude Hilleboe, in charge of women’s student housing.

Thora earned her master’s degree in student personnel administration at Syracuse University where she met Robert L. Phelps, another transplanted Iowan studying journalism. Thora and Bob returned to the Midwest, Thora to her position at St. Olaf, Bob as writer and editor at the Sioux City Journal. They married in December of 1955 and moved to Sioux City. After a stint as Dean of Women at Morningside College in Sioux City, Thora moved with Bob to Menomonie, Wisconsin, where both taught at the University of Wisconsin at Stout. They, then, moved to Northfield where both served for 25 years on the St. Olaf staff, Thora on the library staff and as Associate Director of the Office of Career Services. In that capacity, she played an instrumental role in developing mentor relationships between St. Olaf alumni established in business and professional life and students looking to get started.

Extremely active in the Northfield community, Thora belonged to the Garden Club, P.E.O., AAUW, NAG, the Historical Society, and Bethel Lutheran Church as well as many other groups. She was known, especially, for her positive attitude and even disposition.

Survivors include her husband of fifty-eight years, Bob; two daughters, Margaret (Victor) Hahn, of Columbus, Ohio; and Ruth Phelps, of South St. Paul; two grandsons, Andrew (Heather) Hahn, of Springfield, Ohio, and David Hahn, of Minneapolis; a sister, Mary Herrlinger, and two brothers, David Anderson and James (Eileen) Anderson, all of Mesa, Arizona; as well as several nieces and nephews.

Services will be held at 11:00 a.m., August 12, 2014, at Bethel Lutheran Church in Northfield with the Rev. Cheryl Indehar officiating. Burial will be in Oak Lawn Cemetery.

Memorials may be designated for Bethel Lutheran Church, St. Olaf College, Waldorf College, or for a charity of the donor’s choice.

Arrangements are with the Benson & Langehough Funeral Home. www.northfieldfuneral.com

Copyright © 2014 Benson & Langehough Funeral Home, Northfield, Minnesota.

Benson & Langehough Funeral Home, Northfield, Minnesota.
 

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