In Remembrance

Gary Lee Rhodes, 77, passed away Thursday, June 16, 2022 at St. Mary’s Hospital in Duluth, Minnesota, surrounded by his family. Gary was born March 17, 1945 to  William Rhodes and Gloria (Shreve) Shreffler in Greenville, Pennsylvania, the oldest of nine children. 

Gary served in the U.S. Air Force for 13 years as an Air Traffic Controller. He met his beautiful bride and wife of 55 years, Norma Lee Ronning, while stationed at the Finland Airbase and they were soon after married in Silver Bay, Minnesota.  

After being discharged from the military Gary worked as a salesman for JCPenney’s. He went back to school through Lake Superior College and obtained his CNA certificate and went on to work at the Minnesota Veterans Home in Silver Bay until he retired. Apart from work, Gary loved to host family gatherings where he used his gift of cooking to create delicious meals and created an abundance of love, laughter, and memories. His grandchildren had a special place in his heart and he cherished each opportunity to spoil and spend time with them. His gentle nature and witty sense of humor touched the lives of everyone he met. He was very close with his father in-law Norman Ronning and spent many hours as commercial fishermen on Lake Superior.  In his free time he taught himself the complex nature of computer repair and enjoyed helping the community with their computers.

Gary is survived by his wife, Norma; daughters, Michelle (Paul) Mattfield and Shannon (John) Vorderbruggen; grandchildren, Sierra, Zoe, Tristan, Nicholas, Wyatt, and Nathaniel; brothers, Duane Shreffler, Dan Shreffler, Eddie Shreffler and Ron Shreffler; sister, Marguerite Gartner. Gary was preceded in death by his parents and brother, Jack Rhodes and sisters Cinty Shreffler and Sherry Graham.

A graveside service will be held on Monday, June 20, 2022 at the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery – Duluth, located at 4777 US Highway 53, Saginaw, Mn 55779 at 11:00 AM with Pastor Paul Mattfield officiating.