Thomas Lillard Rodes

Thomas Lillard Rodes

• Thomas Lillard Rodes was born on 23 July 1902 in Manchester, Coffee County, Tennessee.
• He married Audrey D. Montgomery, daughter of Allie Hampton Montgomery and Martha Belle Dean, circa 1926.
• Thomas Lillard Rodes and Audrey D. Montgomery appeared in the US federal census of 1 April 1930 in Bossier City, Bossier Parish, Louisiana, at 505 Colquitt.
• He was a public school teacher, according to the 1930 census.
• His wife Audrey D. Montgomery became a widow at his death.
• Thomas Lillard Rodes died on 28 January 1978 at age 75 in Shreveport, Caddo Parish, Louisiana.
• He was interred at Forest Park Cemetery (East), 2700 St. Vincent Avenue, Shreveport, Caddo Parish, Louisiana.
• The following appeared on 29 January 1978 in the Shreveport Times: Thomas Lillard Rodes, Sr. of Benton, a former Bossier Parish school superintendant, died at 2:40 p.m. Saturday in Highland Hospital after a lengthy illness.
       Services will be at 2:30 p.m. Monday in the Bossier Chapel of Rose-Neath Funeral Home with the Rev. Clarence B. Krumnow, pastor of the Benton United Methodist Church, officiating. Burial will be in Forest Park Cemetery.
       Mr. Rodes, 75, was a native of Manchester, Tenn., and had lived in Benton since 1925, coming to Benton as a teacher and athletic coach. He received his B.S. degree from the University of Tennessee in 1923 and his masters degree from LSU in 1940. Mr. Rodes became superintendant of the Bossier Parish School System in 1950 and retired from the post in 1962.
       He was a member and steward in the Benton United Methodist Church. Mr. Rodes was a retired U.S. Army colonel and a veteran of World War II. He served in the African and European theatres in the 9th Infantry Division as a chemical warfare officer. He is also a member of Cypress Lodge No. 89, Scottish Rite, 40 & 8 Club, El Karubah Shrine and the Retired Teachers Association.
       Survivors include his wife, Mrs. Audrey Montgomery Rodes of Benton; two sons, Thomas L. Rodes, Jr. of San Antonio, Texas, and William Montgomery Rodes of Benton; and four grandchildren.
       The family requests that memorials be made to the Benton United Methodist Church, the American Cancer Society or charity of the donor's choice.

• Last Edited: 3 Feb 2014