Maxine Rhoades

Maxine W. Rhoades, 81, of Olathe, Kansas passed away peacefully in her sleep September 9, 2009. Funeral services will held be at Penwell-Gabel Funeral Home Saturday, September 12, 2009 at 2:00 PM, with the family receiving friends an hour prior to service time. A reception to celebrate her life and friends will be held at the Overland Park Marriott, 10800 Metcalf immediately following interment at Johnson County Memorial Gardens.

Maxine was born September 16, 1927 in Spring Hill, Kansas to Charles Weir and Marie Swan Weir. She lost her father at age 2 to an industrial accident and grew up as the independent, hard working of daughter of a single school teacher. She attended Wyandotte High School where she excelled in Journalism and played in the high school Band. She entered the University of Kansas at age 16 (yes, 16!) as a Watkins-Berger Scholar and graduated from the KU School of nursing in 1948. She met her late husband, George R. Rhoades D.D.S. at KUMC and began a wonderful marriage of 38 years until George's death. Maxine and George were dedicated to the lives of their four children, the Ararat Shrine, and the welfare of all young people who entered their lives. She traveled the world with her husband and family promoting the Shrine and Crippled Children's Hospitals She remained active with the Shrine her entire life, participating in the Ladies Without Nobles and Needle Guild until her death. She enjoyed active participation over the years in Eastern Star, Ozanam Boy's Home, and St. Francis Episcopal Church. She was especially proud of her Life Alumni membership at the University of Kansas and her Registered Nurse degree from KUMC. She was a member of the KUMC Nursing Alumni, the Chancellor's Club, and Endowment Association of KU.

She is preceded in death by her parents Charles Weir and Marie Weir, and her beloved husband, George R. Rhoades D.D.S. She is survived by her 4 children, Ray (Kathy) Rhoades, Charlie (Anne) Rhoades, Marilyn Sanders, and David Rhoades, 7 grand children, Amy (Beau) Hahn, , Charles Rhoades, Carolyn (Ben) Powers, Jon (Tiffany) Rhoades, Christopher Rhoades, Daniel Rhoades, and Tiffany Rhoades, and 3 great grand children, Ryan Rhoades, Hadley Hahn, and Henry Hahn.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Shriner's Crippled Children's Hospital or University of Kansas School of Nursing.

The family wishes to express their heartfelt thanks to the nursing, therapy, and medical staffs of Bishop Spencer Place and Saint Luke's Hospital Cancer floor, Cardiac ICU, and Heart Institute for their loving and compassionate care during Mom's illness.