Joe Phelps

Joe Dolen Phelps, leader, lover, humanist, passed away peacefully surrounded by family at his home in Paradise Valley, Montana on September 15, 2026. He was 77 years old.

Joe was born on August 18, 1949 in Wynnewood, Oklahoma to two hard-working dust bowl survivors, Hazel and Q.D. Phelps. Joe took his first job in the summer after 4th grade, washing dishes at the farm cafe of his bonus parents, Daddy Red and Mama May. Joe's love of music led him to become a drummer and musical entrepreneur in the South, which eventually led to a 40-year career in marketing. In 1981, he founded The Phelps Group with his late wife Sylvia, with the mission of promoting companies that make the world a better place. He later became the longest-running CEO on the west coast of any significant-sized ad agency. At The Phelps Group, Joe abolished the traditional top-down hierarchy in favor of a flat, team-based organization centered around the clients. In 2005, he authored a book on the subject, “Pyramids are Tombs,” which was used in marketing curriculum at USC and Pepperdine. Joe’s employees weren’t called employees, they were associates. And they loved him.

Few have loved as freely and abundantly as Joe Phelps. He was the life of the party. His father worked as a driller in the oil fields all over the American Southwest and Great Plains. After each oil well was drilled, the Phelps family would pack up, hitch up the mobile home, and move to the next drill site. So by the time he left home for college, Joe had lived in 16 different towns. His kindly nature stemmed from the need to make new friends often throughout his childhood.

As a young adult, his friends called him Hippy Joe. Those were the days of peace, love, and BIG IDEAS. Joe listened to the Beatles and absorbed their positive messages. He lifted himself up and loved to bring others with him – giving generously to his friends, family, and community. Joe was awarded the Debbie Erdman-Lee Freeman Leadership in Philanthropy Award for his work with and donations to the Livingston Healthcare Foundation. Joe’s hobby was planting trees, and he worked with the Western Sustainability Exchange to promote environmental stewardship and rural economic prosperity. In a parting gift, he left his remains to the WWAMI program, which helps in the education of future physicians. Joe believed that the best way to be happy in life is to be of service to others.

Joe’s trust and belief in mankind is exceedingly rare. Anyone who has spent much time with Joe has likely heard him preach about crime levels in the US today being the lowest they’ve been in 100 years. His observations over his years in the marketing industry led him to see how the public can be easily swayed by the media. This led Joe to the 2015 formation of the Getting Better Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization with the objective of “building trust through the truth about the positive evolution of human behavior.” He produced a documentary called Trust Me that won several awards including the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism and the UNESCO Award for Media Literacy in North America. On his death bed, Joe remained focused on fulfilling his mission to help people by working on the next Getting Better Foundation billboard campaign, with the theme of “Reminding our community about why we can trust each other.”

Joe was preceded in death by his father and mother; the mother of his children, Sylvia Phelps; and his brother Clifford Phelps. He is survived by his wife, Jeannie Tatum; son, Douglas Phelps (Kelly Ebels); daughter, Emilie Phelps; stepson, Scott Tatum; grandson, Leo Phelps; sister June Phelps Constable (Jim Haney); and sister Angela Thames (Jeff).

Joe’s memorial will be held in Paradise Valley, Montana on a date yet to be determined in Spring 2027. Joe and his family request that any money that would have been spent on flowers for the family be instead donated to the ongoing work of the Getting Better Foundation here: https://gettingbetterfoundation.org/donate/

Joe was deeply loved by many. He will be sorely missed and never forgotten.

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