Norma L. Phelps

Norma Lee Phelps, age 91, of Sidney, NE, passed away on December 28, 2025, at Emerald Court in Scottsbluff, NE.  Services will be held at 10:00 A.M. on Monday, January 05, 2026 at the Sidney Evangelical Free Church with Pastor Kyle Larson officiating. Burial will follow at the Greenwood Cemetery in Sidney.

Friends may stop by the Gehrig-Stitt Chapel to leave their condolences for the family.

You may view Norma’s Book of Memories, leave condolences, photos, and stories at www.gehrigstittchapel.com.

Gehrig-Stitt Chapel & Cremation Service, LLC is in charge of Norma’s care and funeral arrangements.

Norma was born on February 16, 1934, in Scottsbluff, NE, to Alex and Lillian Benzel. She lived in Scottsbluff until the age of four, when her family moved to a farm west of Sidney, NE. They lived in a small two-bedroom country home where her parents raised nine children.

She attended grade school at the district 36 one-room schoolhouse and graduated from Sidney High School in 1951. On March 15, 1953, Norma married the love of her life, Jimmie Phelps, and over the next 14 years they welcomed three sons: Brian, Dennis, and Jeffrey.

She and Jimmie lived in Sidney from the time of their marriage until moving to the family farm in Lorenzo, NE, in 1997. They enjoyed farm life together until health changes prompted them to move to Sloan Estates Assisted Living in Sidney in the summer of 2017. As Norma’s dementia progressed, she made her final move in the spring of 2021 to Emerald Court in Scottsbluff, where she received loving care from staff who affectionately called her “Grandma.”

She was an active member of Grace Baptist Church for over 40 years, where she served for many years as the church janitor and treasurer. It was there that her faith in Jesus Christ was strengthened and nurtured. She shared her love of the Lord with her family and friends.

One of the moments she was most proud of was being crowned Fort Sidney Days Queen in 1952, an honor that also made her the first person ever interviewed on the newly established KSID radio station.

She spent most of her life as a compassionate housewife and mother, lovingly raising her children. As a stay-at-home mom, she considered herself the neighborhood mom of Sky Manor. Later in life, she found joy in working on the farm, often driving a tractor alongside Jimmie as they tended the fields together.

She treasured her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and was delighted in spending time with them, teaching valuable lessons about living a vibrant life filled with compassion and joy. Norma was known for her witty humor and fun-loving attitude, especially when she was with her sisters. She also had a love for coffee and sweets and enjoyed baking, particularly during the Christmas season.

She will be remembered fondly and deeply missed by her family and the many friends she cherished.

Norma is survived by her husband, Jimmie Phelps, of Sidney, NE; sons Brian Phelps and his husband Steven Graham, of Thousand Palms, CA; Dennis Phelps and his wife, Debra, of Cedar City, UT; and Jeffrey Phelps and his wife, Tina, of Sidney, NE; six grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren; sisters Betty Fleming, Patricia Hammond, and Sharon Talich; and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her mother, Lillian Benzel; her father, Alex Benzel; her brothers, Harvey, Kenneth, and John; and her sisters, Dorothy and Ruth.