Peacefully and surrounded by family and friends, James Earl Rhodes left his earthly life for a better and more beautiful one with his heavenly Father. Mr. Rhodes was born on August 9, 1929, in Timpson, Texas, to James Berry Rhodes and Bertha Hall. He departed this life on Wednesday evening, September 26, 2007, in Nacogdoches, Texas. He attended Garrison and Timpson schools, graduating in 1947. Mr. Rhodes served in the U.S. Air Force from 1952 to 1956 as a jet mechanic. After his military service he worked for Dow Chemical, passing the chemist exam with one of the highest scores received, even for college graduates, at that time. He worked for Dow before returning to East Texas, where his heart had always been. In 1960 he married Joan Spradley, and together they had one daughter, Anita Joyce Rhodes. Mr. Rhodes worked in logging, oil field construction and trucking for many years. He was preceded in death by his parents; a beloved brother, Kenneth Gene Rhodes; and very special nephew, Charles Wayne Hooker Jr. He leaves to honor and cherish his memory, wife, Joan Spradley Rhodes of Timpson; daughter, Joy Rhodes of Timpson; sister, Sara Nell Rhodes Raines and husband, John Henry Raines Jr., of Timpson; brother-in-law, Bob Spradley and wife, Barbara, of Whitehouse, Texas. He is also survived by his faithful and loving "four-legged" children, Boomer and Bunnie. Mr. Rhodes leaves many nieces, nephews, great nieces, nephews, great-great-nieces, one nephew, and many very special cousins. After retirement, he loved to work Word Find puzzles and did so until his health and vision impaired this. He always wanted his newspaper every day, even after his vision being to fail. He would have someone read the headlines to him, and he would comment on the stories. He shared many laughs with his father and aunts and uncles sharing a cup of coffee and figuring how to fix all of the problems of the world. His greatest love was his wife, Joan, his caregiver for the last six years of his life. She was his rock and his life. Active pallbearers are, Dondi Tipton, Matt Harbison, Chaylon Mackey, George Duke, Larry Burns, Leon Goodrum, William Edwards and Mark Connell. Honorary pallbearers are, Cohron Bush, Johnny Grayson, L.G. Allen, Phillip Baker, Cecil Whitton, Buck Raines, John Raines, Chester Kirkley, Wayne Harris, C.W. "Dusty" Rhodes and Randy Graves. Memorial donations can be made to the Timpson Volunteer Ambulance Service or Timpson Volunteer Fire Department. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, September 29, 2007, in the Taylor Funeral Home Chapel in Timpson, Texas. The family will receive friends from 6 until 8 p.m. Friday, at Taylor Funeral Home. Officiating will be the Rev. Sammy Eldredge and the Rev. Roy Platt. Musicians will be Sherri Strahan and Belinda Solomon. Taylor Funeral Home, Timpson.