JOHN RHODES Obituary

RHODES
JOHN RHODES
1950 - 2021
Master Sergeant John "Jack" William Rhodes II, Unites States Army, Retired, passed away in his home on Tuesday, January 5, 2021 in Colorado Springs, Colorado. John was born on November 30, 1950 in Cleveland, Ohio, moving in his teenage years to his maternal ancestors' home state, Louisiana, where he graduated from J.S. Clark High School in Opelousas on May 28, 1969. While studying at the University of Southwestern Louisiana, he received a draft letter, stepping away from his schooling to begin his dedicated service to the U.S. Army in December 1970.
As a devoted patriot, MSG John. W. Rhodes served during and following the Vietnam War in Ft. Polk, LA; Ft. Monmouth, NJ; Utapao Royal AFB, Thailand; Ft. Dix, New Jersey; Daegu, South Korea; Ft. Gordon, GA; Worms, Germany; Sinop, Turkey; and Peterson AFB, CO, where he was honorably discharged in April 1992. After working as a satellite communications engineer and signals instructor in the military, John received an Associates in Science from the University of the State of New York in 1991 and a Bachelor of Science in Logistics Systems Management from Colorado Technical University in 1996. He went on to work as a government support contractor and engineer for Allied Signal, Honeywell, Harris, and STI-TEC.
John was a charismatic, humorous, and natural teacher, always happy to impart knowledge and offer his leadership skills to benefit others. He spent many years donating service to the Boy Scouts of America and the Colorado Springs Youth Symphony in support of his children, also volunteering in his later years as a history tour guide at Dragonman's Military Museum.
As an inherently innovative and inventive individual, John's talents were manifest in his craftsmanship and skills as a builder and mechanic. He loved working on his prized '69 Plymouth Roadrunner and was a long-time, enthusiastic member of the Southern Colorado Mopars car club. He built up and landscaped his homes, always known to meticulously nurture the greenest lawn on the block. He enjoyed photography, science fiction, Marvel comics, illustration, Motown oldies, martial arts (earning his black belt), classic cars, road trips, and traveling the world. John never hesitated to eat dessert first (baked Alaska, anyone?), enjoyed grilling, made the best pot roast, and especially loved homemade generations-old family recipe gumbo and lemon merengue pie.
John was an extremely proud husband and father. He is survived by his wife, Maria Isabel Rhodes (Montano); sister, Toni Elaine Rhodes; children (from a previous marriage), Jack William Rhodes III and wife Susana Elisa Rhodes (Avalos), Janet Lee Rhodes, Elizabeth Marie Lambson (Rhodes) and husband Samuel Charles Lambson; grandchildren, Lily Rhodes and Lewis, Felix, Boaz, Dale, and Ted Lambson; and cat Charlie. He was preceded in death by his father, Jack William Rhodes Sr., and mother, Toni DeCoux Rhodes.
A full-honors military funeral service was held on Tuesday, January 12, 2021 at the Pikes Peak National Cemetery where John was laid to rest. In lieu of flowers, please send donations in support of United States military service members, veterans, and families through hopeforthewarriors.org.