Marvin Edward (Ed) Rhodes, Jr. returned home to his Heavenly Father on Thursday, July 11, 2024

at the age of 83, while holding the hand of his wife, Georgia. He is preceded in death by his

parents, his half sister, Mary Marquardt, and brothers-in-law H. Robert Miller and Bob Tucker.

The third child of Marvin Edward Rhodes, Sr. and Dora Catherine Busch, Ed was born at home on

May 26, 1941 in San Jacinto, California. Soon after, the family, including sisters Mary, Harriett, and

Barbara moved to a brand new home in Lakewood, California where they lived until Ed was 25.

Little sister Jeannie (Iris) joined the family in 1945.

Ed often told stories of an idyllic childhood with lots of neighborhood children playing games in the

front yards, riding bikes, skating, catching tadpoles, endless baseball, football, and marbles in the

summertime, until parents would finally call them to come in at dark. He was eternally grateful to

his parents for providing him such a secure life and for supporting him through difficulties. Ed

always insisted that he had raised his sisters, however, that probably was hyperbole. Certainly

Mary, Harriet, Barbara, and Jeannie spent many hours, and much patience, attempting to keep Ed

in line.

Ed loved attending school at Horace Mann Elementary, Roosevelt Junior High School and

Bellflower High School mainly due to his many neighborhood friends and the popularity of his

sisters that had preceded him. Academics seemed to be secondary to him, since he was very

social and used his sense of humor and natural ability to perform to entertain students and teachers

alike. Perhaps, not so much the teachers.

A typical California youth of his time, Ed loved participating in many local activities such as baseball,

football, tennis, snorkeling for abalone, body surfing at the Wedge, cruising Bellflower Boulevard

with his buddies in his split window 55 VW, volleyball at Huntington Beach, skiing at Baldy, fishing,

hunting and golf, playing hearts and working on his tan at Alamitos Bay, dancing the surfer stomp to

Dick Dale and the Deltones at the Rendezvous Ballroom in Balboa, and, of course, dating.

In 1964, after attending Cerritos College in Norwalk, California, Ed moved to Bakersfield, California,

and met and fell in love with his first wife, Dianne. The couple was soon blessed by the birth of their

only child, Michelle Suzanne Rhodes and, although Ed loved his little daughter very much,

influences of the unsettled times fueled his unrest and he felt powerless to overcome them.

After their divorce, and following an automobile accident that nearly took his life, Ed embarked on a

life of travel and adventure seeking by hitchhiking across the entire United States and back across

Canada to Alaska. The next few years led him to Mexico, India, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran,

England, Germany, France, Spain, Portugal, Australia, Tahiti, Fiji and Bora Bora.

Ed's work life began early at various restaurants and gas stations around Long Beach and

Lakewood, retail sales in upscale men's stores, a brief stint in the AeroSpace Industry, different

construction jobs, working on the Alaska pipeline, serving as a cook and logger at a lumber camp,

halibut fisherman, meat cutter, and sheep shearer in Australia, owner of a small leather shop in

Santa Cruz, California, an artisan, a poet, and a singer of songs. Ed also took advantage of his

people skills and worked for many years as a talented automobile salesman.

Throughout his life, Ed made many wonderful friendships and enjoyed sharing many great laughs,

experiences, and philosophies. He especially loved getting acquainted with new people and

listening to their ideas.

Baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in his early twenties, Ed

sincerely loved his Heavenly Father and his Savior Jesus Christ, and he felt he had a close

personal relationship with them. Each new day began and ended with personal prayer and he

frequently sought their guidance throughout the day.

In 2003, Ed became reacquainted with a high school sweetheart, Georgia Wood in Orem, Utah and

they were married on March 20, 2004. Since that time, Ed lived in Utah, Nevada, Colorado, Idaho,

Washington, Texas, Hawaii and Ecuador. His final 10 years were spent taking care of Georgia and

battling the effects of his dementia. His death was the aftermath of a fall early in the morning of July

11th, resulting in severe head trauma. Although he passed quickly at Utah Valley Regional Medical

Center in Provo, his death has left a tremendous void and he will be forever remembered by those

that loved him.

He is survived by his wife, Georgia Wood-Rhodes and her son Matthew Wood (Kristen), sisters

Harriet Miller, Barbara Tucker, and Iris Eastwood (Bob), best friend Kerry Douglas (Hawaii), and his

faithful and loving cat, Ferguson.

Many, many thank yous to the members of Timpanogos Park 1st Ward, Mountainland Aging

Services, and to our loving and generous neighbors for years of service to both Ed and Georgia. It

has been sincerely appreciated.

In typical Ed fashion, there will be no pomp and circumstance planned. A simple family graveside

service will be held in September at his burial site in Woodlawn Cemetery, Eastsound, Orcas Island,

Washington, where he will be interred next to his mother.

Until We Meet Again..

Romantic, Hippie, Cowboy

Go rest high on that mountain,

Son, your work on earth is done.

Go to heaven a shoutin'

Love for the Father and the Son.

Vince Gil