Edna Earle Rhodes

Edna Earle Rhodes, of Thornton, passed away peacefully at Parkview Regional Hospital in Mexia on Monday, October 29, 2018, at age 93. Visitation will be held in the Groesbeck Funeral Home Chapel on Wednesday, October 31, 2018, from 4:30-6:30 p.m. Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 1, 2018 in the Groesbeck Funeral Home Chapel, with Reverend Steve Nance of the First United Methodist Church of Groesbeck and Thornton officiating.    Burial will follow in the Thornton Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Kenneth Rhodes, Jason Rhodes, Kevin O’Neal, Mark Smith, Jimmy Grissett, Neil Biediger, Aaron Martin, Mark Smith, Jr., and Justin Grissett.  Honorary pallbearers will be John Banks Campbell, Rand Bates, Rawls King Jr., and Charles King. Edna Earle was born December 12, 1924 to Richard Earle Carpenter and Beulah Rasco Carpenter in the Davis Prairie Community.    She grew up, went to school and church there, and lived in that community most of her life. Edna Earle was united in marriage with Charles E. Rhodes by the Groesbeck Justice of Peace on November 26, 1943.   She worked at the Mexia State School as a dorm worker until she retired in 1988. She was a member of the Thornton United Methodist Church. Edna Earle was strong willed and family oriented, and loved being with her family.    She created many wonderful family experiences for which she will be lovingly remembered by each one.  All the grandkids agreed that Sundays and Christmas Eve stood out the most in the fond memories. Sunday dinners were a big event where everyone came, and Christmas Eve was really special, filled with family traditions like dancing on the porch to “Cotton-eye Joe”.   They remember her special dish of chicken and dumplings.  She taught all the grandkids how to play chicken foot, and loved playing dominoes and cards, especially canasta, with them on her kitchen table.  They loved just being able to sit and talk and laugh.  Edna Earle loved her pets, especially her Pekingese dogs, Cinnamon and Angel.   Their grandmother has left her family with the belief to cherish every moment, doing things together while able, and spending as much time with family, friends and loved ones as possible.   Mrs. Rhodes was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Charles in 1995; her sister, Robbie Jean Rabe; and two sons, Charles Eugene Rhodes and Jimmy Wayne Rhodes.  She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Edna Yvonne and Robert O’Neal of Thornton; daughter-in-law, Barbara Rhodes of Thornton;  seven grandchildren: Melissa Smith and her family of Thornton, Stacey Grissett and her family of Thornton, Kevin O’Neal of Thornton, Jason Rhodes and his family of Thornton, Kenneth Rhodes and his family of Jarrell, Shelia Rhodes of Rockwall, and Genia Biediger and her family of Sanger.    This large family includes fourteen great grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren.