OBITUARY

Richard H. Rhodes, Sr. aged 82, passed away peacefully on June 17, 2025 in Monroe, GA. He was the most loving husband, supportive father we could ever ask for and a dear friend to many. He is survived by his wife of over 30 years, Pam and his children Richard H. (Huey) Rhodes, Jr., & Sally (partner Mike) plus beloved extended family. He was preceded in death by his parents Franklin & Sara Rhodes, his father & mother in law Shelley & Faye Sirmans, and his brother, Tom.

He was born in Albany, GA on July 13, 1942. He attended St. Teresa's elementary school then Albany High School where he played on the football team & won a state championship. Upon graduating high school, he attended the prestigious West Point Academy where played football until he transferred to Georgia Tech University still playing football & earning his degree in Engineering. He joined the family business of Rhodes Heating & Cooling working with his father who founded the company and his two brothers. During this time, he dedicated himself to the people & community by his role as President of the Jaycees & being voted as the City Commissioner. After 20 years, he moved to Ft. Myers, FL to work at Florida Rock. A few years later, he moved back to Georgia to be near his kids and work at Mallory & Evans until his retirement two years ago. He was known & appreciated as a loyal coworker, relentless perfectionist, and the most genuine good guy. 

Richard lived his life with respect, hard work, determination, a sense of humor, and unwavering devotion to his family.  He will be remembered for so many things, especially his sarcasm, intelligence, selfless acts, and his adoration for his wife & children. He was an avid reader, a history buff, a crossword solver, an attentive listener, a teacher of wisdom, a giver of honest, wise advice, and a joker who had an infectious laugh and huge smile. Throughout his life, he experienced all this world has to offer and lived it to the fullest. He loved boating & teaching his kids (and their friends!) to ski on the Flint River. He loved music, especially classic rock & roll, so he introduced his kids to the Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, etc., including taking them to their first concerts. He taught himself to play piano & guitar which influenced them to do the same. He loved a wide array of sports; mostly college football, baseball, and golf, but attended several Nascar races & hockey games too. He especially loved golf so much he taught Pam how to play & he was smart and lucky enough to secure Masters badges in 1969. He introduced this sacred event to all of us who have been able to attend for decades. He loved to travel; his favorite adventure was a road trip with Pam, her mother & her aunt throughout the southwest to see our country's beauty. He sure made our family spent every holiday, birthday, and monthly check-ins together to ensure we remained close & appreciate each other. 

He will be remembered for his immense faith in God, for treating others the way he wanted to be treated, and for the unconditional love he had for his family & humanity. His impact will live on in every life he touched. He is our hero. Forever and always. Heart and soul.

In lieu of flowers, donations to the American Heart Association or American Cancer Society are appreciated, if desired.