BLAIR EDITOR’S WIFE DIES AT HER HOME

Blair, Neb., Sept. 16 - - Mrs. John A. Rhoades, wife of the publisher of the Enterprise here, died this morning.

Rites will be held at 2:30 Sunday at Blair Congregational Church.

Mrs. Rhoades’ father, L. F. Hilton, established the first printing business here in 1869. In 1894 he sold the shop and assumed management of the Hoof and Horn at Omaha, which became the present Journal Stockman. He later moved back here to run the Enterprise.

Surviving are Mr. Rhoades, two daughters, Mrs. Philip O’Hanlon and Priscilla M. Rhoades, and a son, J. Hilton Rhoades, all of Blair.

#2-Rhoades, Mrs. Blanche, 53

Died 16 September 1932

Published in unknown newspaper on 16 September 1932

Mrs. Blanche Rhoades, 53, wife of John A. Rhoades, editor of the Blair Enterprise, died Friday from a stroke suffered Monday. Her husband, two daughters, a son Hilton, a sister and a brother survive.

#3-22 Sept., 1932 - The Enterprise

MRS. JOHN A. RHOADES IS CALLED TO REST Prominent In Club Work And Social Life Of Blair. A Forceful Writer And Woman Of Great Ability

HAD WIDE ACQUAINTANCE

A Real Mother And Helpmate Suddenly Stricken And Called To Her Rest.

After a Sunday of quiet in her family circle and a night of rest, Mrs. John A. Rhodes was suddenly stricken with a paralytic stroke just as she was leaving her bed on Monday morning, Sept. 12th. The husband realizing the seriousness of the attack placed her back in bed, and hastened to the phone calling first the son and then the physician who has cared for her for years. She lay unconscious all day Monday, but on Tuesday regained consciousness, but was never able to speak.

The attending physician immediately called a heart specialist from Omaha who had cared to her in a like attack a little over a year ago who came at once, but gave no hope as to her recovery. The left side had suffered a complete paralysis and her speech was gone. The opinion of the specialist came as a death knell to the family. One minute in apparent health cuddled to her husband’s side, the next hopelessly ill. But the efforts to save her did not cease, and a night nurse waged a fight against death to the bitter end which came Friday morning at 4:30 o’clock.

Blanche L. Hilton was born to Mr. and Mrs. L. F. Hilton in Blair, April 22, 1879 in a home located on the corner now occupied by the Clyde Allen home just south of the city hall. She came of a family of journalists. Her father and grandfather coming to Blair in 1869 when the townsite was laid out, brought their printing equipment up the river by boat and established the first paper in Blair. Since that time, with the exception of a few years, the family has been in the newspaper business in Blair, Mrs. Rhoades taking up the work with her husband when her father passed away in 1919.

The deceased attended the Blair schools, the Omaha schools and the state university. She graduated from the Blair high school in 1896 and immediately entered the teaching profession in the county in which work she continued for nine and one half years. Her last year of teaching was in the Kindred school north of Blair which she resigned in January, 1905 to become the bride of the writer, John A. Rhodes, who was at that time county superintendent. During the ten years of service which the husband enjoyed in the office, she was an interested, happy helpmate. His problems were her problems, and they worked and played together always.

The husband went out of office in 1915 and immediately purchased The Tribune of L. A. Williams and Mrs. Rhoades took up the work with him. Three and one half years later they disposed of the property and lived on a farm for a year, but returned to Blair at the end of the year. In 1919 her father, the late L. F. Hilton passed away, and the newspaper work was again taken up, this time with The Enterprise.

The years of work with her husband on The Enterprise has been most pleasant. Her enthusiasm, her intelligence and good judgment made of her an invaluable associate, and the loss of her good fellowship leaves the husband stunned, dazed.

She not only was active with her husband in the newspaper work, but also took great interest in the social life of her hometown. She served as president of the Monday Afternoon Club for two years, was Worthy Matron of the Eastern Star lodge, was active in the women’s Relief Corps and in her church. She was ready at all times to do her share. Keen of intellect, she was a very fine conversationalist and naturally had a host of friends and a wide acquaintance. On account of her sterling qualities she gathered about her the best of people who loved and respected her through their entire acquaintanceship.

She was a real Blair product and loved her hometown dearly. In her travels with her husband it became a fixed fact that each town visited, when the comparison was made, her own beloved little city always stood first. To her it was the most beautiful and the most interesting spot in the universe.

Her home life was as remarkable as was her other activities. Here she reared three children to maturity, all of whom are still living, and all do reverent homage to her name. In her home she showed at her best and gathered about her the comforts so dear to motherhood. She lived the life she loved best with her husband, and to the last that close companionship of the early married days was carried on. Always and always together, the companionship grew closer and sweeter with the advancing years.

Her home and her flowers, as the time slipped by, took more of her time. She loved to plan her flower garden and her husband gave her the best cooperation that his time would allow. Always a great lover of flowers, she made of her lawn a cozy retreat that was her great delight. Her friends were brought into her enthusiasm here, and all through the growing season she was showered with a rare specimen from this friend or that and all were highly treasured. It was in this retreat of flowers, planned and carried out by her own dear self, that the family and friends decided to hold the funeral ceremony. Each felt that it would have been her choice had she been able to make that choice.

The services were held, as planned, in her own flowery bower, her own nook that she loved on her west lawn on Sunday afternoon, Sept. 18th, with Rev. A. F. Newell of the Congregational church officiating. The beautiful floral offerings which had poured in at the home all morning added to the beauty of the surroundings, and friends from over the city, county and state and adjoining states gathered in a vast assemblage to do honor to her who had been called from her work. Cars filled the streets for blocks, and at the closing of the ceremonies the friends and admirers, with reverently bowed heads, marched past the open bier for the last look on the face of the one they had, through years of close contact, came to love and respect.

The deceased leaves to mourn her a sister, Mrs. Claude Utterback of Union, Montana; a brother, Robert Hilton of Lincoln who was constantly with her through her illness; the husband, John A. Rhodes and the three children, Mrs. Philip O’Hanlon, J. Hilton Rhodes, both married and Miss Priscilla still at home and two grandchildren, Charlotte, aged three and Kenneth, aged one year, children of Mr. and Mrs. J. Hilton Rhodes.

You cannot say, you must not say,
That She is dead. She is just away
With a cheery smile, and a wave of the hand
She has wandered into an unknown land.
And left us dreaming how very fair
It needs must be, since She lingers there;
So think of Her faring on, as dear
In the love of There as the love of Here
Think of Her still as the same and say
She is not dead - She is just away.
~~~ Obituary courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.~~~

Find a Grave # 116665388 Blair Cemetery