Russell E. 'JR' Rhoades
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By -
He was born Aug. 2, 1923, in Fort Wayne, to Russell W. and Ruth Stukey Rhoades. On June 3, 1944, he married Doris A. Jenkins, who survives.
He attended South Whitley High School and in 1942, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He received a medical discharge.
He made his home in Fort Wayne for a short period then moved to Montana and Wyoming for about four year. He returned to the area making his home in South Whitley.
A career truck driver, he drove for Murphy Trucking; Metzger Trucking, Silver Lake; and 17 years with General Electric, Fort Wayne, as an over-the-road trucker, retiring in 1981. In 1996, he began part-time driving for Tranter Paper, South Whitley.
Also surviving are four daughters: Gwen Gephart and Stacey (and spouse Brian) Rhoades-Yee, all of Fort Wayne; Deanna (and spouse Randall) Lancaster, Henderson, Nev.; and Carolyn (and spouse Daryl) Eberly, South Whitley; 10 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; a sister, Maxine Johnson, Warsaw; and a brother, Harold Rhoades, Columbia City. He was preceded in death by two brothers.
Service will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Smith and Sons Miller Chapel, South Whitley. Burial will be in South Whitley Cemetery.
Calling is from 2 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.
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Memorials may be made to the Cleveland Township Fire Department or Whitley County Humane Society.
Condolences may be sent via www.smithandsonsfuneralhome.com[[In-content Ad]]
He was born Aug. 2, 1923, in Fort Wayne, to Russell W. and Ruth Stukey Rhoades. On June 3, 1944, he married Doris A. Jenkins, who survives.
He attended South Whitley High School and in 1942, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He received a medical discharge.
He made his home in Fort Wayne for a short period then moved to Montana and Wyoming for about four year. He returned to the area making his home in South Whitley.
A career truck driver, he drove for Murphy Trucking; Metzger Trucking, Silver Lake; and 17 years with General Electric, Fort Wayne, as an over-the-road trucker, retiring in 1981. In 1996, he began part-time driving for Tranter Paper, South Whitley.
Also surviving are four daughters: Gwen Gephart and Stacey (and spouse Brian) Rhoades-Yee, all of Fort Wayne; Deanna (and spouse Randall) Lancaster, Henderson, Nev.; and Carolyn (and spouse Daryl) Eberly, South Whitley; 10 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; a sister, Maxine Johnson, Warsaw; and a brother, Harold Rhoades, Columbia City. He was preceded in death by two brothers.
Service will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Smith and Sons Miller Chapel, South Whitley. Burial will be in South Whitley Cemetery.
Calling is from 2 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.
*****
Memorials may be made to the Cleveland Township Fire Department or Whitley County Humane Society.
Condolences may be sent via www.smithandsonsfuneralhome.com[[In-content Ad]]
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