Irvine High School Football Booster Lyle Phelps Dies

Lyle Phelps, the father of two Irvine High quarterbacks, Mike and Ryan Phelps, died at home Monday of colon cancer. He was 56.

Phelps, who followed Irvine football for more than 20 years, was profiled Oct. 18 by The Times after the Vaqueros’ 9-7 loss to Newport Harbor in the Sea View League opener.

Irvine Coach Terry Henigan started junior backup Ryan Phelps for the first series of downs in that game to allow Lyle the opportunity to hear his son’s name announced as a starter.

In addition to his wife, Carol, and Ryan and Mike, Irvine’s all-time passing leader who is a redshirt freshman at Oregon, Lyle Phelps is survived by daughters Becky and Wendy, and a son from his first marriage, Bob, of Tustin.