Clark Phelps

Our great friend, Clark J. Phelps passed away peacefully on Friday, September 1, 2023 at LDS Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah just a few blocks from his longtime home in the Avenues. Clark had been confined to his home for a couple of years with poor health and later suffered from kidney failure. He was seventy-three years old.

Clark was born June 20, 1950 to Eugene and Virgina Phelps. He was the youngest of four siblings, who survive him, Kendall Phelps-San Francisco Bonnie Sucec-Salt Lake City and Fred Phelps-New York City.
If you were his friend, and he had many, you knew he was from Midvale. It was his beloved hometown and he wrote about it frequently. He described his childhood as a series of “Huck Finn” type of adventures. He loved Midvale’s vibrant Main Street, it's cast of characters and multi ethnic population.

He attended schools in Midvale and then graduated from Westminster College with a degree in Philosophy.

He was proud of the fact that the Phelps family-owned businesses on Midvale's Main Street were open continuously from 1904 to 2020.  Clark’s grandfather, Howard Phelps, had one of the first shops, a confectionary in Midvale, which then was called Bingham Junction. His business expanded to a soda fountain, flower shop, and cigar stand. Howard and his wife, Marie, lived above the shop in a one-bedroom apartment.

Clark’s father, Eugene Phelps, later opened a store front to sell and lease coin machines in the Salt Lake Valley. Later, in 1945, Eugene built Diamond Billiards, a pool hall and later a card room on N. Main St. in Salt Lake City. In 1950, Howard built a home on Garden View Dr., where Clark and his siblings were raised. His father built another building on Main St. to operate his coin machine business. Clark eventually purchased this building and opened his own business selling antiques.

The Antiques Warehouse on Main Street was full of oddities, collectibles, and occasionally, national treasures. Many rare and valuable artifacts went through his building. He was a researcher, appraiser and contributor for Warman's Antiques and Collectibles. He was proud of the distinction he held as a certified appraiser. Clark used this building to renovate and sell antiques. He held 49 continuous years of business licenses that kept him engaged in community.

In August 2023, a month prior to his death, Clark received the honor of a lifetime, Midvale City’s Hall of Honors Award. The Hall of Honors is made up of native (or adopted) sons and daughters of Midvale who have made significant contributions to Midvale and/or those whose accomplishments and achievements have brought fame and recognition to Midvale as a community. Clark received this award virtually on the evening of August 2nd. He was thrilled and delighted to have received this award.

Most importantly, as a person, Clark Phelps helped others. He was a board member and President of the Helping Hand Association that oversees The Haven, a drug and alcohol treatment center. He was on the board of the Utah Alcoholism Foundation that operates The House of Hope. He helped both organizations develop and expand their membership and mission.

Clark was proud of his membership in Alcoholics Anonymous. At the time of his death, he had forty years of continuous sobriety. He helped dozens of other alcoholics in their sobriety. May he rest in peace for all the good he did.

We will miss his great storytelling, his love of Utah’s remote basin and range, his outrageous sense of humor. In his final week he had a steady stream of visitors to his hospital room. Nurses remarked, “he sure has a lot of friends!” And he did!

Cremation was handled by Starks Funeral Parlor and a Service for Clark will be held the evening of October 12, 2023 from 6-9 pm at Starks Funeral Parlor 3651 S. 900 E. Millcreek, UT.