Donna Rhoades

Donna Dean (Truxal) Rhoades, 86, of Bartlesville, passed away Friday night, November 1, 2019 at Jane Phillips Medical Center.

Donna Dean Rhoades was born September 4, 1933 at Cottonwood Falls, Kansas to Alva Kenneth Truxal and Irene Fern (Rhoades) Truxal.  She came to Barnsdall, Oklahoma as a young girl and was a graduate of Barnsdall High School.  After high school, Donna took a job with Phillips Petroleum Co., working in the Treasury Department.  She met J.C. Rhoades and the couple were married June 27, 1952 at Tallant, Oklahoma.  J.C. was drafted into the U.S. Army in April of 1953 and the Rhoades moved to Ft. Benning, Georgia.  Upon the completion of J.C.’s military obligation, the Rhoades moved back to Bartlesville, where Donna became a homemaker and mother, working part-time for Gunter Rexall Drug.  She would later return to Phillips, working in Auditing and finishing her 33-year career as Recreation Director.  As her children were growing up, Donna was active as a Girl Scout Leader and Band Parent.  As an active member of Dewey United Methodist Church, she was involved in Children’s Church programs.  Donna was very athletic, having played basketball at Barnsdall High School and later for a Phillips Petroleum team.  She also participated in multipleTulsa Runs, Freewheel Bicycle Rides, and hikes, including the Grand Canyon  J.C. and Donna were world travelers and while spending time in Idaho, were volunteer Park Rangers.  She was also known for her remarkable quilting.

Donna is survived by her husband, J.C. of the home; daughter, Roxanna Cummings of Broomfield, Colorado; two sons, Robert Rhoades and wife, Liliana of The Woodlands, Texas and Jay Rhoades and wife, Denise of Thornton, Colorado; six grandchildren, Bethany Collom, Joel Cummings and wife, Pam, Chris Rhoades, Craig Rhoades, Jason Rhoades and Rachel Baldwin and husband, Bryce and four great-grandchildren, Ellie & Emeri Collom and Tommy & Silas Cummings.  She was preceded in death by her parents and by a brother, Everett Wayne Truxal.

Funeral services will be 2 p.m., Wednesday, November 6, 2019 at Dewey United Methodist Church with Pastor Jinx Barber officiating.  Interment will be in Bartlesville Memorial Park Cemetery under the direction of Arnold Moore & Neekamp Funeral Home.  Visitation will be Tuesday until 8pm at the funeral home, with Donna’s family receiving friends from 6-8 p.m.  The family suggests that those who wish may donate to Comforting Hands Hospice in Donna’s memory.  Online condolences may be left at www.honoringmemories.com.