Creative Visionary Moves on to His Restaurant lovers everywhere lost their biggest champion recently. Joseph Phelan, the unofficial creator of Harrisburg's Restaurant Row and the designer of more than 70 restaurants in our region, had his last drink and a cigarette on Saturday, December 18th - he was 69 years old. A 1960 graduate of John Harris High School, Phelan often cruised the city in a candy apple red convertible MG TF, refusing to put the top up even in snow storms. Usually clad in hounds tooth or tweed, Phelan was notorious for his wardrobe, even insisting on wearing his favorite red suede driving shoes while he battled cancer from his hospital bed. A prolific sculptor, painter and artist, Joe found his niche in the early 70's, creating remarkable interiors first for his brother Dick's The Gingerbread Man restaurant chain, and later for scores of other successful bars, restaurants, and nightclubs throughout the region. For more than 40 years, the Phelan Brothers proved to be a dynamic combo, first partnering on the wildly successful The Raven teenage nightclub, introducing the hottest Motown acts to Harrisburg including Gladys Knight & the Pips, Smokey Robinson & the Miracles, and The Temptations among others. The G-Man, as the The Gingerbread Man came to be known, launched Phelan's restaurant design career in 1973, leading to the start of his initial design studio Ludlow Fair- a first of its kind craftsman's incubator that attracted the finest wood, metal, paint, and construction artisans in the region.
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Joseph F. Phelan '61 ... He was such fun," says Lois Stickney Magenau '61, reminiscing about classmate Joe Phelan '61, who died of cancer in May at age 71. current issue past issues send a letter/news address update advertise about us alumni home People wanted to be a part of his joy He was such fun," says Lois Stickney Magenau '61, reminiscing about classmate Joe Phelan '61, who died of cancer in May at age 71. "He was deep and so intelligent but somehow managed to keep it light." During their senior year, Joe was president of the Student Senate. "Things ran very smoothly with Joe at the helm," says Magenau. "He was always calmly in control—no anxious pushing—just a wonderful president, getting the job done without having to stand out himself." The ability to identify and work toward his goals, coupled with an infectious sense of humor, endeared Phelan to his friends and colleagues and remained strengths throughout his life. During visits with Magenau and her husband, Roger '61, "Joe would put on this wonderful Irish brogue in telling us his best jokes. I always admired how he found such enjoyment in his life. You just wanted to follow him around and be part of that joy." Phelan earned a master's degree at Morehead State University in 1966, taught school for five years, and then spent 20 years with Citizens' Scholarship Foundation of America (now Scholarship America), including 18 years as the organization's president and chief executive officer. He also served in the early '90s as UNH's vice president for alumni affairs and development, and was the founding president of the UNH Foundation. Several months before his death, Phelan and his family established the Phelan Family Fund to provide an ongoing source of support for the Thompson School of Applied Science.
Joseph F. "Joe" Phelan, age 84, a resident of Naperville, IL since 1973. He was born on October 3, 1936 in Chicago and was called to ride in St. Patrick's Heavenly Parade on Wednesday, March 17, 2021. Beloved husband of Sandra L. "Sandy" Phelan (nee Schilling), whom he married July 18, 1964, loving father of Ken (Katie) Phelan of Loveland, OH, Matt (Michelle) Phelan of Naperville, IL and Jolyn (Travis) Boland of Glen Ellyn, IL, adored grandfather of Megan, Ryan, Scott and Danny; Sean; Kayla, Braden and Jack, devoted son of the late Maurice and Loretta Phelan. As an Irish-Catholic Southsider, Joe was a parishioner and student at St. Brendan. He spent his first two years of high school at St. Augustine Seminary in Holland, MI and graduated from Leo High School in Chicago (Class of 1955). With six siblings (Bill, Mary, Maury, Jim, Pat and Dick) someone was always around for a pick-up game of hoops on Chicago's finest neighborhood dirt courts. His love for basketball earned him a full scholarship to Spring Hill College in Mobile, AL. Joe was inducted into the Spring Hill College Sports Hall of Fame in 2010. Joe received his law degree from John Marshall Law School in Chicago and spent more than thirty years in private practice. His children loved taking fieldtrips to witness his expert closing arguments. When he wasn't litigating, Joe generously helped family and friends in real estate transactions and getting teenagers out of speeding tickets. Joe loved Naperville and was an active member of the community, serving on the Naperville City Council from 1981-1985 and on the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners from 1989-1997. He was also a longtime member of St. Raphael Catholic Church.