January 22, 2026, Seward Folly

Ronald Dean Phelan, 86, of Seward, Alaska, died peacefully surrounded by family on December 10, 2025, at Providence Medical Center in Anchorage. He was born May 15, 1939, in Littleton, Colorado, the son of Ed and Olive Phelan.

Ron had many fond memories of his childhood in Colorado and was very close to his older brother, Bob, and younger sisters, Dorothy, Patty, and Kim. He was a good student who loved school, even though he had to miss a year due to rheumatic fever. He loved the movies and worked at the local movie theater as a teenager, while also helping his mother with her child day-care business. During that time, he was a member of a barbershop quartet and loved to tinker with cars. After graduating from Boulder High School, Ron joined the U.S. Army and served during the peacetime period between the Korean and Vietnam wars.

When he returned home, he went to work for IBM, where he met Mariann, the love of his life. The first time Ron saw Mariann, he leaned over to a coworker and said, “You see that girl over there? That’s the girl I’m going to marry.” He was right. They shared many adventures together and welcomed three children along the way: Scott, Lance, and Tiffany. Their marriage was marked by curiosity, shared creativity, and a deep enjoyment of each other’s company. Over the years, his work took the family from Colorado to Oklahoma, Arizona, Montana, California, Oregon, and finally Alaska. Ron was a devoted brother, husband, father, uncle, and friend, deeply committed to the people he loved.

After leaving IBM, Ron owned a Dunkin’ Donuts shop in Norman, Oklahoma, for a time, then worked as a truck driver before discovering his exceptional talent for carpentry. He later founded his own construction company, through which he improved thousands of homes and taught dozens of people a skilled trade, many of whom went on to build careers and businesses of their own. Ron worked hard his entire life and took pride in the quality of his work, as well as in the people he taught along the way. After he and Mariann moved to Alaska, they opened The Frame Cottage in Seward. Ron loved working with people to make their art, keepsakes, and memories beautiful.

Ron excelled at many arts and crafts, including calligraphy, leatherwork, and especially woodworking. He made children’s toys and household pieces, which Mariann would paint. He was most proud of the rocking horse he designed and built entirely from his own imagination. He made several of them for the children of family and friends. It brought him great joy to see the happiness his work brought to others. Ron loved to talk, but above all he loved to make people laugh. He will be remembered for many things, but chiefly for his sense of humor and his kindness. His last words were, “I love you all so much.”

He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Mariann; his children Lance and Tiffany; and his sisters Dorothy and Patty. He was preceded in death by his son Scott, his sister Kim, and his brother, Bob.

A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, January 24, 2026, from 12:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., at the American Legion Seward Post #5, 402 Fifth Ave. Ron’s wishes were for his ashes to be scattered in Colorado near his favorite lake. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Parkinson’s Foundation.