Charles Edward Phelps

Aquebogue resident Charles Edward Phelps, a minister at First Baptist Church of Cutchogue, died Sept. 14 at Peconic Bay Medical Center in Riverhead. He was 82.

He was born April 23, 1929, in Crestwell, N.C., to John Norman and Jennett Phelps and attended Crestwell High School. He served in the U.S. Army and in 1957 moved to New York, where he drove trucks and worked on farms, most recently at DeLalio Sod Farms.

He married Deaconess Marion Phelps in 1982, and in 1983 they joined First Baptist Church of Cutchogue, where he was certified as deacon, then minister.

Minister Phelps loved singing gospel music and, according to family members, formed a gospel group with some friends that went from church to church singing.

He is survived by his wife; his sons, Charles Jr., of Riverhead, and Aaron and James, both of Suffolk, Va.; his daughters, Patricia Butts and Sara Brown, both of Riverhead, and Rose Simmons, Mary Langhorne and Easter Harris, all of Cumberland, Va.; and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his sons Charles and Earnest; his daughter Ester Jones; his brothers, Robert Norman and Willie Norman; and his sister, Esther Jones.

A home-going service took place at First Baptist Church of Cutchogue, Pastor Cornelius Fulford officiating. Interment was at Calverton National Cemetery. Arrangements were handled by Seay Memorial Chapel of Riverhead.