He was born on September 4, 1949, in Chicago, IL, the son of Robert and Charlotte (Szwiec) Phelan. He was joined by a sister, Patricia, 6 years later. His life in Chicago included frequent large family gatherings with aunts, uncles and many cousins, trips to downtown Chicago, and both Cubs and White Sox games. He remained a devoted fan of the Cubs and Bears, enjoying the Cubs World Series win and attending the Bears season played in Champaign.
Terry graduated from Gordon Technical High School in Chicago, IL, then continued his education at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in the College of Engineering. He was enrolled in ROTC as an undergraduate. Following graduation with a Bachelor of Science in General Engineering, Terry served with the United States Army on active duty and finished his Army career in the Reserves. He married Nancy Fuchs on August 17, 1974, in Farmersville, IL. They met on a blind date at U of I, and frequently returned to campus for sports, theater, visiting friends, and concerts.
Following his marriage to Nancy, he returned to U of I for a Master of Science in Engineering. After the required work experience, he successfully passed the registration exam and became a licensed Mechanical Engineer in multiple states including Ohio & Illinois.
Following completion of graduate school, Terry and Nancy moved to Cincinnati, Ohio for 15 years. As a mechanical engineer in several consulting engineering firms, his work involved projects for companies such as NASA, IBM, General Electric, the US Army and numerous hospitals. His work for NASA at Cape Canaveral included visits to the Vehicle Assembly Building and vehicle launch pad. He relocated to Springfield in 1991, and worked for Ralph Hahn and Associates and completed his career as a Senior Project Manager at the State of Illinois Capital Development Board before retiring in 2015.
During retirement, Terry and Nancy traveled extensively, with frequent trips to Chicago and New York for theater, cruises from Iceland to Greenland and across the Atlantic, train travel in Canada and the US, and tours with the AIA in several European countries. Trips to Wisconsin to visit grandkids became frequent with an annual trip to Seattle to visit his sister Pat and her family.
Friends were always welcome in their home for fun evenings. They were known as gracious hosts for annual parties. Terry enjoyed meeting friends for an evening of conversation at It’s All About Wine, Martini Monday at Bella Milano, and favorite restaurants.
He was preceded by his parents, Robert and Charlotte.
Surviving are his wife, Nancy Fuchs of Springfield; son, Michael Phelan of Franklin, WI; grandchildren, Lucas, Charlotte, and Conor Phelan; sister, Patricia (Jim) Hurst of Seattle, WA; and nieces and nephews, Elizabeth Hettinger, Phillip Hurst, Jessica Hurst, Chris Holt, and Lauren Obermark.
Visitation: The family will receive friends from 4:00-7:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 5, 2026, at Bisch Funeral Home-West, 2931 S. Koke Mill Rd., Springfield, IL 62711.
The Funeral Ceremony will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, November 6, 2026, at Bisch Funeral Home-West, with Pastor Tim Good officiating.
A private family burial will follow at Rovey Cemetery, 1290 Mine Ave., Farmersville, IL 62533.
Memorial Contributions may be made to: Trinity Lutheran School and the Mechanical Science & Engineering Academic Scholarships (please make checks payable to University of Illinois Foundation)
Please visit www.bischandsonfuneralhome.com to offer condolences.
