Rhodes, Luther H. – 1917-2010

CHAPMAN, CURRENT, GUTHRIE, KOOL, MEYER, NOLTE, PASCHAL, RHODES, SEDREL, TURBETT

Posted By: JCGS Volunteer
Date: 12/13/2010 at 19:42:52

Luther H. Rhodes, the son of John and Sophia “Nettie” Rhodes, was born March 28, 1917, in Mine La Motte, Mo. He graduated from Le Grand High School in 1934 then attended the American Institute of Business in Des Moines.
On Aug. 31, 1941, Luther married Ruth Guthrie in West Branch, Iowa. After the War, Luther and Ruth settled in the Des Moines. Luther worked for 20 years as a pressman at the Register and Tribune. Many nights he called square dances and taught square dancing with Ruth, first around the Des Moines area and later all over Iowa. Ruth died in 1969.
On Sept. 4, 1970, Luther married Jeanne Chapman Paschal in Newton. They first met at a square dance class that Luther was teaching. Luther and Jeanne lived in Newton, then moved to Tucson, Ariz., where they lived for 30 years. Luther continued his square dance calling in Arizona and called dances as far away as Alaska. Luther and Jeanne traveled all across the United States, Canada and Alaska, went on cruises in the Caribbean and visited Italy. Luther also traveled in Europe, Scandinavia and Russia with his brother-in-law, Wis Guthrie. He loved life, loved his family and loved the outdoors.
Luther and Jeanne returned to Iowa to live at Friendship Village in Pella and then at Newton Village, until Jeanne passed away on May 22, 2007. Luther moved to Park Centre in Newton, where he lived until he died Dec. 4, 2010. Luther also was preceded in by his step-daughter, Julie Paschal, on Dec. 4, 2003; his brothers, Walter, Homer “Whitey” and John; and his sisters, Beatrice Nolte, Isabelle Sedrel and Ethel Turbett.
Those left to honor Luther’s memory include his sons, Stephen (Judy) of Coralville, Iowa, David (Edna) of Valton, Wis., and Nelson (Mary) of Dixon, N.M.; his step-daughters, Jacqueline (Norman) Kool of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Donna Beth Current of Marietta, Ga., and Paul Meyer of Waukee, Iowa; his six grandchildren; seven step-grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; 13 step-great-grandchildren; and his brothers, Raymond of Marshalltown and Oscar (Rita) of Le Grand.
A memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Friday, Dec. 10, at the Pence-Reese Funeral Home in Newton. The family will greet friend from 10 to 11 a.m. Friday at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to Friends of the Prairie, Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge, PO Box 399, Prairie City, IA 50228. Online condolences may be left at www.pencefh.com.
Source: Newton Daily News; Tuesday, December 7, 2010