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Virginia "Ginny" Phelps
Date Of Birth:April 6, 1949
Date Of Death:February 8, 2012
Service Date:10:00 am, Monday, February 13, 2012
Seven Dolors Catholic Church

Virginia L. "Ginny" Phelps, 62, of Manhattan, passed away Wednesday, February 8th, in Topeka.

Virginia Marie Lankenau was born in Washington, DC, on April 6, 1949, a daughter of the late Anita Byrne and Richard N. Lankenau.  As a youth she traveled the world with her parents in the Dipolomatic Corps.  On Sept. 4, 1982 in  Albuquerque, New Mexico, she married James  Phelps.  Ginny was a member of Seven Dolors Catholic Church in Manhattan; a volunteer for the Flint Hills Breadbasket, Douglass Center, Mercy Regional Hospital, where she delivered the mail and Mercy Health Fitness; a reader for Mass at Seven Dolors Catholic Church; and also a member of the Seven Dolors Catholic Women.   She enlisted in the US Army after high school serving at Ft. Campbell, Kentucky as a hospital attendant and with MEDDAC as an occupational therapy specialist. Later she served in the U.S. Navy.  Ginny attended Bellevue University in Bellevue, Nebraska and later took classes at KSU.

Virginia is survived by her husband Jim of the home; a twin-sister, Judy Lankenau, of Dayton, OH;
a brother, Richard Lankenau, and wife Cindy of Atlanta, Georgia; brother-in-law William Phelps, and wife Sayre, of Los Angeles, California; brother-in-law Tom Phelps, of San Diego, California; brother-in-law  John Phelps, and wife Pat, of Omaha, Nebraska; sister-in-law Mary Anne Phelps and husband Tony, of Austin, Texas.   She was preceeded in death by her parents and a sister, Rose Mary Lankenau.

A vigil service will be at 7:00pm on Sunday, Feb. 12, 2012 at the Irvin-Parkview Funeral Home & Cremation.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at the Seven Dolors Catholic Church in Manhattan, at 10:00am on Monday, February 13th, with Father Joe Popelka officiating. Interment will follow at a later date.

The family request donations to St. Jude's Childrens Hospital 262 Danny Thomas Place Memphis, TN 38105  , Seven Dolors Catholic Church 731 Pierre Manhattan, KS 66502 or the Flint Hills Breadbasket 905 Yuma Manhattan, KS 66502.


  • From: Derrol and Dianna Trippett
    Location:Wamego

    Jim, Dia and I are so sorry for your loss. I did not realize Ginny was so accomplished. Our thoughts and prayers are with you. Derrol


  • From: Marianne Cullers
    Location:Manhattan, KS 66503

    Ginny was a tutor with the Hand to Hand Program at the Douglass Center for two years--a very faithful and conscientious helper who loved helping kids and making them happy--and better able to do well at school. She was a great help to us with the children who struggled with their work, and she will be missed very much. She was kind enough to make and bring special treats for the children at Christmas these past two years. I am so glad that she was able to visit Disney World this year, and she had many happy memories of that trip. It was a privilege to work with her. Marianne Cullers, Director, Hand to Hand Program


  • From: Leanne Mills-Vigil
    Location:Junction City

    Jim - we are so sorry for your loss - this came as such a shock. Our thoughts & prayers are with you. Leanne & Mark


  • From: Dana Weeden
    Location:Riley

    Jim, I was deeply saddened by the death of Ginny. This must be very difficult for you. You are in my thoughts and my prayers.