Obituary of Robert S. Stanley Rhode

Robert "Bob" S. Stanley Rhode, age 60, of Yankton, passed away Thursday December 26, 2013 at Avera Sacred Heart Hospital, Yankton, SD of complications from diabetes. Memorial service will be 2:00 PM, Friday, January 17 at Opsahl-Kostel Funeral Home, Yankton, SD with Pastor Randy Tramp officiating. Burial of cremated remains will be in the Yankton City Cemetery. Robert was born in Clara City, MN, on May 6, 1953 to Stanley and Marian (Epple) Rhode (later Becker). He grew up in and around Clara City, along with his siblings, Russ Rhode, Ruth (Rhode) Bot, and Scott Becker. Robert's father passed away unexpectedly in 1957, and in 1960 his mother married George Becker, who became Robert's stepfather and eventually grandfather to his children. Growing up, Robert split his time between his intellectual interests and athletics. He wrestled for his high school, then left for Concordia College in Moorhead, MN, where he pursued a degree in history and developed what would be his lifelong love of music. It was at Concordia that he would meet his future wife, Joan Welde, who he married on September 1, 1973, and with whom he would have his three sons, Samuel, Benjamin, and Jonathon Rhode. After college, Robert went to work for the Firestone Tire Company in Jamestown, ND. All his children were born there, after which he was transferred to Yankton, SD, where he spent the rest of his life. It was there that he and Joan raised their three boys, and during that time, he was active in the community, coaching youth soccer and pursuing interests such as fishing and pipe collecting. He also moved from Firestone to Rhian Oil, which he managed very successfully for several years. In 1999, Robert and Joan split, with Joan moving to California and Robert staying in Yankton. In 2000, he met Judy (Bell) Heffele, of Canton, SD, and the two lived together for the remainder of his life. Robert was a great lover of dogs, and in his later years, he and Judy took to breeding purebred miniature schnauzers. He also became very active in the lives of Judy's children and grandchildren, and took up pipe collecting. As a person, Robert was intelligent and kind to those around him. He was a dedicated father and a hard worker, possessed a sense of humor that could swing from brutal punning to straight-faced fabrication in the blink of an eye, the latter usually at the expense of his too-trusting small children. In the tradition of stoic Midwestern males, he felt too much and said too little, but made up for it in his actions; he took care of his own. He was an avid reader, particularly of historical accounts, and loved music so much that his tone-deafness never stopped him from singing along. He was also a certified black-belt-trident in fork twirling. Robert is survived by his sons: Sam Rhode of Minneapolis, MN, Ben and Cindy (Bauer) Rhode of San Jacinto, CA, Jon and Kiley (Hemminghaus) Rhode of St. Louis, MO; his fiance, Judy (Bell) Heffele of Yankton, SD; his grandchildren, Jon "Jack" Rhode and Kate Rhode, both of St. Louis, MO; his brothers, Russ Rhode and Scott Becker, both of Minneapolis St. Paul, MN; and his sister, Ruth (Rhode) Bot of Clara City, MO. He is also survived by: Judy's children: Sons: Cliff Heffele, Rick Heffele, Don Heffle, Tim Heffele; and daughter, Trisha Heffele, all of whom were truly a second family to Robert. Robert was preceded in death by: his father, Stanley Rhode, and his mother, Marian Becker.