Muriel Edith (Stanford) Phelps, age 100, of Alpena, Arkansas died on Saturday, July 16, 2022.

The daughter of John Harvey Stanford and Janet Edith (Singleton) Stanford was born on November 17, 1921 in Jersey City, New Jersey. She was the third of five children.  Her family moved to Dallas, Texas where she met and married her husband, Earl Phelps, in the early years of World War II, right before he was shipped overseas.

Muriel worked for the Texas Revenue Office in Dallas for several years and was then employed by the Texas Rangers for 13 years during the 1940's and 1950's.  She retired in 1955 when her daughter was born to become a mother and homemaker.  In 1964 she moved to Arkansas where she became a member of Osage Baptist Church.  After her husband died, she became a member of the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Harrison, AR.

She enjoyed gardening and learning about nutrition and healthy habits.  Muriel continued to take and enjoy daily walks well into her late 90's.  She also enjoyed listening to Bible CD's and preaching CD's as her vision worsened.  Muriel especially enjoyed visits with her grandchildren and great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Earl Phelps; her parents; three brothers, Harvey John Stanford, Harry Stanford, and Robert "Bob" Stanford; one sister, Edith Bandy; nephew, Stanley Stanford; and a niece, Carol Jean Patterson.

Survivors include one daughter and her husband, Ruth Ann and Kirby Eastep, of Alpena; sister-in-law, JoAnn Stanford, of Compton; four grandchildren, Desiree Desjardins, Amanda Eastep Slankard, Daniel Eastep, and Katrina Eastep; seven great grandchildren, Cheyenne Slankard, Savannah Slankard, Shaun Slankard, Torie Desjardins, Gabriel Dyer, Reuben Eastep, and Corban Eastep; nieces, Barbara White and Donna Sue Lippie; nephews, James Alan Stanford and Mark Stanford; and a host of extended family.

A service will be held at a later date.