Donal Rhoad

SARGENT - Donal H. Rhoad, 82, of Sargent died Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2009, at home.

Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, January 5^th at the Church of Christ in Sargent. The Rev. Marty Robbins will officiate. Burial will be in the Mount Hope Cemetery at Sargent.

Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday at Rhoad Funeral Home in Sargent.

Mr. Rhoad was born Nov. 26, 1927, at McCook to Lloyd Ervin and Flora "Dollie" (Relph) Rhoad.

He married Dorothy Ellen Fekkers on Sept. 25, 1949, at Wauneta. Dorothy passed away on July 30, 1999. After Dorothy's death, he married Marlys (Moody) Wrasse on June 15, 2001.

Survivors of his immediate family include his wife; his children and their spouses, Randy and Lori Rhoad of Sargent, Rhonda and Jerry Smith of Kearney, Darla and John Haubold of Kearney, David and Debbi Rhoad of Cheyenne, Wyo., and Darwin Rhoad of Kearney; his stepchildren and their spouses, Tamara and Dave Thompson of Sargent, Sharla and Dan Clark of Sargent, Sandra Winchester of Central City, and David and Lois Hansen of Sargent; 26 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren.

Also surviving are a sister-in-law, Barbara Blickenstaff of Arapahoe; nieces and nephews; many good friends; and a very special problem child.

Don was educated in grade school at the West Parcel, two blocks from his home in McCook. He attended junior high school three blocks from his home. He went to McCook Senior High School and graduated mid-term. He then went right to McCook Junior College until September 1946.

Don had a beautiful singing voice and while in high school he sang at church and at many funerals, which led him to his career path. He continued to sing in quartets over many years.

He went into the Army for one and a half years as a clerk/typist and was stationed in Korea until March 1948, when he was honorably discharged. He was in the National Guard for 10 years after being discharged from the Army.

He returned to McCook Junior College for his second semester and attended one more year of premed courses. He went to Cincinnati Mortuary College in March 1949. He did his apprenticeship in Kansas in 1951. He bought a funeral home in Norton, Kan., in 1952, and worked under the previous owner, Vern Somers. In 1958, Don and Dorothy bought the Spooner Funeral Home and furniture store in Sargent.

Don operated the ambulance service in Sargent for eight years until the fire department took it over. He was a fireman for 32 years and served as chief until 1965.

Don and Dorothy would have celebrated 50 years of marriage in September 1999. Their marriage and life were blessed with five children, Randy, Rhonda, Darla, David and Darwin. He was a loving, supportive and wonderful father.

He was on the school board for one to two terms, was chairman of the construction of the Key Villa housing complex, was on the hospital board and was one the Mount Hope Cemetery board. He was involved with the Chamber of Commerce, Elks, Lions Club, VFW and the Masons.

Don did crop dusting for six years and never lost his love of flying. He was also a rural mail carrier for many years.

Don cherished the times with his family, the families of his churches, the community, friends and grandchildren. He loved the outdoors, gardening, feeding the birds, bowling, being creative with stained glass, family reunions, and coffee with his friends. After Don got sick, he made many beautiful walking sticks to keep busy.

In addition to his first wife, Don was preceded in death by his parents; an infant sister; a granddaughter, Sandra Rhoad; and his brothers-in-law, Francis and Jim Fekkers, and Duane Blickenstaff.