Obituary: Mcfadden, Earlene Rhodes (Dobbin)
Age 92
Daughter of a seaman’s widow, child of the depression, a trained nurse; she was also a mother of five, sister to two, and wife of Col. Billy C. McFadden since 1942.
Dad would show everyone he met a 1940s-era photo of Mom and tell them she was his ‘first wife.’
Mother was a friend to all she knew, a dedicated and serving Christian, an ordained lay minister in the Community of Christ.
Our mother was always a beautiful woman and an inspiration to so many.
We were richly blessed to have her as a part of our lives.
Through her example, Mom pointed the way so all of us would know how to live.
For her Christian beliefs, we can know her contentment in her new eternal life over her old worldly existence.
Earlene Rhodes was born in Jonesport, Maine, on July 12, 1922, to Earl and Cordelia (Chandler) Dobbin.
Being from a shipping and sailing community, she liked to tell everyone that she was named for the “Molly Rhodes” - a three-masted schooner that went down in a storm off the coast of the Cape (Cod).
She was raised in Mobile, AL., where a number of her close relatives and friends still live.
She moved to Independence, MO., while in high school.
After graduating from William Chrisman High School, Earlene attended Graceland College in Lamoni, Iowa, an unusual occurrence in the 1930s-40s era.
She enrolled in the nursing program at the Independence Sanitarium and Hospital School of Nursing.
While walking home from nursing school one afternoon, Earlene was noticed by a soon-to-be-soldier.
Once they met, he never let her go.
Earlene married Billy Cooper McFadden on February 28, 1942, in Independence, MO.
They raised their children in Independence, and lived in Lee’s Summit, MO., until 1993 when they moved to Coeur d’Alene.
Mom worked for Lake City Army Ammunition Plant as a Rosie the Riveter in Independence during the war effort.
That heroic job was followed by homemaking, various social groups, community service projects, and church organizations.
Ozettes was an important part of her life.
As a social group of military reservists and their wives, the women of this group once served as hostesses when Eleanor Roosevelt visited the Trumans in Independence.
In the late 1960s Mom went back to work for the Internal Revenue Service Midwest service center in Kansas City, MO., as a tax examiner.
Mom and Dad were instrumental in land and facilities acquisition, and new construction of worship centers for Community of Christ Churches, in Coeur d’Alene, the Spokane Valley and Lee’s Summit.
Earlene was always a storyteller and a natural speaker, joining Toastmasters in Coeur d’Alene.
She also joined Daughters of the American Revolution after moving to this area.
As “an active and committed member” of the Lt. George Farragut Chapter of DAR, Earlene served a few times as Chapter Chaplain.
She enjoyed gardening, playing cards, reading, sewing and socializing.
Earlene is preceded in death by her husband Bill, on March 13, 2010; and granddaughter Wendy Wilkerson in 1999.
Earlene is survived by five children: Barbara and husband Jerry Wilkerson of St. Joseph, MO., William Bruce and wife Linda McFadden of McKinney, Texas, Judyth Kenyon and husband Dayne Hanna of Coeur d’Alene, Teresa McFadden of Coeur d’Alene, and C. Thomas and wife Tracy Herr McFadden of St. Louis, MO.
Grandchildren: Mike Wilkerson of Missouri, Meredith and Emily McFadden of Vermont, William Rhodes Kenyon of Washington, Willow Kenyon of Idaho, Rachel Velebny of Prague, Czech Republic, Sarah Bruch of Idaho, Katherine (Kenyon) Parker of Texas, Jeff Hanna of Idaho, Taryn Ozanus of Texas, Kris Ozanus of Virginia, Ryan Herr and Kelly Herr of Missouri.
Great-grandchildren: Mitchell, Holden, and Marshall Wilkerson; Skye Boyd; Chloe and Chet Hanna; Austin and Briana Parker; Sydnie Ozanus; Oliver, Alex, and Penelope Ozanus; and baby Ida Kay.
Earlene also leaves a brother, Dr. John C. Hancock of Johnson City, TN, and sister and brother-in-law, Pat and Don Maloney of Houston, MO.
Memorials may be made to Spokane Valley Community of Christ, 11515 E. Broadway, Spokane Valley, WA., 99206, or the Coeur d’Alene Public Library Foundation, 702 E. Front Ave., Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814.
The memorial service for Earlene will be at 11 a.m. on Friday, January 9, 2015, at the English Funeral Chapel, 1133 N. 4th St., Coeur d’Alene.
A reception will follow the service at the funeral chapel.
Messages and thoughts can be left on the English website.
Earlene will be laid to rest next to her husband at Coeur d’Alene Memorial Gardens.
Please sign Earlene’s guest registry and view her online memorial at www.englishfuneralchapel.com.
ENGLISH FUNERAL CHAPEL, Coeur d’Alene, ID