Suzanne R. Rhodes Obituary (1945 - 2014)

Suzanne Ruth (Olson) Rhodes, age 69, of Menomonie Wisconsin passed away on Friday, July 11, 2014 due to complications related to Alzheimer's disease. She was born March 28, 1945 in Mason City Iowa to Maynard and Alice (Jacobson) Olson. Her family moved to the Menomonie area when she was a young child. She graduated from Menomonie High School in 1963. Sue went on to earn a degree from UW River Falls. In 1964, Sue married Laurence "Larry" D. Rhodes Jr at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Menomonie. They had two children, Laurie Sue and Lynda Michelle. While living in Seattle Washington, Sue ran a family day care center. After moving to Menomonie, Sue worked at DHI, Inc. as a lab technician. During her time in the Twin Cities, Sue finished her degree and worked as a computer help desk support until retiring in 2007, and moved back to the "farm" in Menomonie Wisconsin. Sue was nicknamed "the hat lady" due to her passion in knitting and crocheting hats to donate to children enrolled in Head Start and Early Head Start (Ramsey County, MN & Menomonie, WI). She always worked on making her hats unique to ensure that each child was seen as an individual. Rarely was Sue seen without actively working on some new project. She was preceded in death by her parents, Maynard and Alice; her sister, Nancy (Olson) Hester; her daughter, Laurie Sue Rhodes; her husband, Laurence D. Rhodes Jr. and father-in-law, Laurence D. Rhodes Sr. She is survived by her daughter, Lynda "Lyn" Rhodes; her brothers, Edvin (Mary); Ray (Jean); Christian; her sister, Karen Hogan (John), her mother-in-law, Susan Rhodes; her nieces Diane Olson; Heidi Olson (Beau); and nephews, Eric Hester (Nellie); Matthew Olson (Jamie); Jared Olson; her poodle, Pepper as well as many others. She will be greatly missed. A visitation will be held from 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 17, 2014 at Olson's Funeral Home (Menomonie) and from 10:00 -11:00 a.m. on Friday July 18, 2014 at St. Paul's Lutheran Church (Menomonie). Her funeral will directly follow at 11:00 a.m. at St. Paul's Lutheran Church with Pastor Brett Voigt officiating. Burial will be in St Paul's Lutheran Cemetery. A lunch will follow.