John Patrick Phelan

John P. Phelan, aged 89, passed away on Friday, August 29, due to advanced lymphoma. His wife of 61 years, Judith, was at his side. John was born on June 1, 1936, in Cork, Ireland, the eldest of six children to Christina (née Terry) and Patrick Benedict Phelan. After graduating from the University College Cork Medical School in 1959, he relocated to the United States for an internship at Buffalo General Hospital. He subsequently became a Fellow in Pediatrics at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Upon completing his residency, Dr. Phelan joined The Permanente Clinic in Portland, Oregon. In 1966, he was drafted into the United States Air Force, serving as a Captain at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. Following his military service, he pursued a Radiology Residency at Oregon Health & Sciences University in Portland, Oregon. In 1971, he accepted a position with The Radiology Group, PC at St. Vincent Hospital in Portland. Throughout his 35-year career in Radiology, Dr. Phelan chaired his department, led advancements in medical technology, and expanded their services to include four additional hospitals in the region.

Dr. Phelan married Judith Nolan Henderson on June 6, 1964, at St. Paul of the Cross Church in Park Ridge, Illinois. Together, they had one son, Timothy Edwin Phelan. He is survived by his wife Judith, son Timothy, daughter-in-law Aida, granddaughters Meaghan, Rebecca, and Jennifer, siblings Anne, Pat, and Clare of Cork City; Frank (Pauline) of Dublin; and several nieces and nephews, both in the United States and Ireland. He was predeceased by his brother Tony (Eithne) of Cork City.

John P. Phelan maintained a longstanding interest in automobiles and Formula One racing. He took pleasure in sailing his boat, Saoirse, on the Columbia River, throughout Puget Sound, and the Canadian Gulf Islands, as well as chartering in Ireland, the Caribbean, Florida, and the Chesapeake Bay. He was an avid reader, and his innate curiosity inspired extensive world travel. He enjoyed snow skiing, tennis, and remained a keen cyclist until his late eighties.

A Funeral Mass will be held at 11 am on September 8 at St. John the Evangelist Church, 625 111th Street Ave. North, Naples, Florida 34108.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Andrew Nativity School, 4925 NE 9th Ave., Portland, Oregon 97211, or to a charity of choice.

Following the service, a reception will be held at Estancia in Bonita Bay, 4801 Bonita Bay Blvd., Bonita Springs, Florida.