In Memory

Gilbert Rhodes - Class Of 1960 VIEW PROFILE

Gilbert Rhodes

 Courtesy of Shelby County Today located at www.shelbycountytoday.com

 

Memorial service for Gilbert Rhodes, 67, of Timpson, TX, will be held at 10:00 AM, Saturday, April 24, 2010, in Taylor Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. George Patterson and Orval Miller officiating. Mr. Rhodes passed away March 15, 2010, in Garrison, TX.

Gilbert Rhodes was born in Timpson, Texas on April 13, 1942 to John W. and Marjorie Neill Rhodes. He attended the Timpson schools, graduating in 1960. During Junior High, he was a trumpet player in the band but played football in High School and was a quarterback on the 1959 district championship team. He was also an Eagle scout and served as bugler on the staff at Camp Tonkawa. After graduation, he attended Stephen F. Austin, majoring in Biology and Chemistry. He worked as a lab instructor in Human Anatomy, Embryology, and was a Parasitolgy research assistant. In 1964, he received a B.S. degree and was inducted into Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities. He also was a member of the Highlander Trio folk singing group at SFA which performed in many locations in East Texas.

After graduation from SFA, he attended the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston but withdrew after two years. He then worked for the Galveston City Health Department and in 1967, joined ARA Services, Inc. of Philadelphia as a hospital food services administrator. During this 18-year career he served at hospitals in Newport News, VA, Oak Ridge, TN, San Angelo, TX, New Orleans, LA, Akron, OH, Cuyahoga Falls, OH, Flint MI, and Oklahoma City, OK. In the 70’s, he also worked for Food Services International of Ft. Lauderdale, FL as a District Manager and Regional Director in St. Louis, MO. He also served briefly as Midwest Sales Director for B&C Marketing of Fullerton, CA (Hawaiian Punch) out of the St. Louis office covering 18 states. In 1989, he worked as a computer programmer for Control Data Corporation in Oklahoma City, specializing in engineering database development.

In 1990, Gilbert returned to SFA and obtained a teaching certificate in Biology/Chemistry to begin his second career. He taught in Texas at Kirbyville H.S., Paul Pewitt H.S., and in Oklahoma at Ardmore Plainview, Crescent, Ardmore, Bridge Creek, and Bethel. In 1998 he did Master’s work at the University of Oklahoma in science education. Then, in 2004, he retired and returned to Timpson where he taught one last year at Timpson High School and began restoration of the old Rhodes family farm which was settled in 1896 by his grandfather William H. and where his father was raised. In 2007/08, he served as program chairman of the Timpson Area Genealogical and Heritage Society and has enjoyed associations with the members and reunions with his friends from the THS Class of 1960.

Gilbert is survived by his wife and best friend of 23 years, Phillis Mills of Oklahoma City, a son, Michael of Silverdale, WA, daughter, Jennifer Rhodes of Fenton, MI, and two grandsons, Zack and Lucas Rhodes of Silverdale. He is also survived by his step-children, Kevin Mills of CA; David Mills, Cleveland, OH; Steve Mills, Ft. Hood, TX; Marc Mills,

Oklahoma City; Chris Mills, Austin, TX; Matt Mills, Oklahoma City; and Buffy Oxley of Blanchard, OK, with several step-grandchildren including Jordan, Jasmine, and Lexy Mills of Oklahoma City. Michael Rhodes is retired U.S. Navy having served on the nuclear attack submarines USS Memphis and USS Bremerton and the nuclear ballistic missle submarine USS Alaska. He now works for the Navy as a training contractor at the Bangor Sub Base in Washington state. Jennifer is a DNA analyst working for a private lab in Michigan. He is also survived by several cousins, including Beth Neel Joyce of Richardson, TX, Bette Wallia Brown of Henderson, TX, Charles Rhodes and J.T. Rhodes, both of Timpson. He is preceded in death by his parents and one brother, John Neill Rhodes, who was also a SFA graduate and a CPA in Tyler, TX, before his death in 1993.

Gilbert wishes to express his gratitude to Dr. Michael Y. Ashigbe and the staff of the Oncology Center at East Texas Medical Center in Tyler for their care and professional treatment during his battle against pancreatic cancer. He also expresses his heartfelt appreciation to Butch and LaNell Beckham, Barbara and Titus Brandon, Patsy Watson, Pat and William Ford, Maybelle Yarbrough, J. T. and Charles Rhodes, and the congregation at the First Christian Church of Timpson for their friendship and support during the past months. Gilbert requests that any donations be made to the Timpson Area Genealogical and Heritage Society.

To convey condolences or to register online, please visit www.taylorfh.net. Taylor Funeral Home, 511 Ross Graves Dr., Timpson, TX 75975, is in charge of arrangements.

 





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