William Ray Rhodes

On February 9, 2019 at 2:55 AM God called his servant, William Ray Rhodes, home for his eternal reward. William was born on November 8, 1933 in Whiteville, Tennessee to the union of Mable McNeal-Rhodes and Norman Rhodes (both deceased).

He accepted Chris at an early age and joined The Elcanaan Missionary Baptist Church in Whiteville. Later after moving to Columbus he joined the Second Baptist Church in 1976 under the pastorate Rev. Leon L. Troy, Sr. He was educated in the public school in Whiteville, attended Tennessee State University, Nashville, TN and graduated from the Indiana School of Mortuary Science in Indianapolis, IN. He served in the military, first in the Army for three years during the Korean War and also for three years in the U.S. Navy. He worked as an Embalmer in Brownsville, Tennessee at Rawls Funeral Home and Columbus, Ohio for McNabb Funeral Home, as well as various jobs in Tennessee, Indianapolis, Indiana and Columbus. His last position was at Second Baptist Church where he was referred to as “The Keeper of the Keys to the Kingdom” (an inside joke between him and his sister.)

He was united in matrimony with Emma Jean Allen and to this union 3 children were born. He was later married to Carolyn Shaw and to this union one child was born. He had five siblings: Christine (deceased), Ernest, Jesse, Jerry (deceased) and Delois.

He leaves to cherish his memory two brothers: Dr. Ernest Cornell Rhodes (Nashville,
TN); Jesse Calvin (Lucille) Rhodes, Bolivar, TN; one sister: Delois Rhodes (Clyde) Wright, Westerville, OH; two daughters: Rosalind Rhodes (Detroit, MI); Adorea Marie Rhodes (Columbus, OH); two sons: Mark Allen Rhodes (Detroit, MI); and Rodney Randolph Rhodes (Detroit, MI), two nieces: Sharon S. Gordon, (Columbus, OH) and Celestine (James) Jones, (Nashville, TN); three nephews: Reginald (Patricia) Rhodes, (Stone Mountain, GA), Calvin (Tiffney) Rhodes, (Rockford, IL) and Norman (Tamika) Rhodes II, (San Antonio, TX), preceded in death Veronica Rhodes (niece). And a host of other grandchildren, great nieces and nephews, relatives and friends.

William was a man of very few words but strong faith, and his favorite song was “I Love The Lord”.

Visitation 10:00am and Funeral 11:00am Saturday, February 16, 2019 at Second Baptist Church 186 N 17th Long Street