BOMBER MEMORIAL

DAVID NORMAN "CHEVY DAVE" RHODES ~ Class of 1969
June 13, 1951 - February 16, 2018



David Norman "Chevy Dave" Rhodes, age 66, passed away peacefully at home in Richland on February 16, 2018. Dave was born in Richland at Kadlec Hospital on June 13, 1951 to Russell Norman Rhodes and Doris Irene Rhodes Buchanan.

Dave was very active in his childhood and teen years. He enjoyed swimming, skateboarding bicycling, bowling, dirt biking and water skiing. He was an excellent bowler, once he had 15 strikes in a row in open play, and the next week, he had 19 strikes in a row. In 1969, he was the recipient of the Ken De Vine Inspirational Award for a teen bowler. He attended Richland schools, graduating from Columbia High School (Richland Bombers) in 1969. He attended Columbia Basin College and studied welding. Dave had a passion for working on cars, trucks and motorcycles. He spent hours taking vehicles apart, replacing parts and restoring them. He also enjoyed riding his bicycle on long trips around the Tri-Cities. He participated in the Tri-State 150-mile bike ride, which began in Montana, went through Idaho and ended in Spokane. When he wasn’t bicycling, he could be found dirt biking all around the outskirts of Richland. He loved to do ‘wheelies” with his motorcycle.

He worked 35 years as a Laborer and was a member of the Laborers’ Local 348. During his career, he was a flagger on road crews, did concrete work, asbestos removal and worked on the Vit Plant construction. Dave also worked as a power operator and was a mail room supervisor at Hanford. He retired in 2006.

Dave is survived by his wife of 48 years, Sally Stone Rhodes, daughter, Katherine (Kyle) Middleton; son, Charles (Amanda) Rhodes; granddaughters: Sierra Johnson, Savannah Johnson and Lily Rhodes; sisters, Lynda Komanecky ('65) of Portland, OR and Janet ('73) (Rob) Stein of Seattle; along with numerous in-laws, nieces and nephews. Dave was preceded in death by his daughter, Angela Irene Parker; his dad, Russell Rhodes; and hid mother, Doris Buchanan.

Dave’s family would like to extend a special thanks to the staff members of AMR Ambulance, Heartlinks Hospice & Palliative Care, and Nuclear Care Partners for their exceptional care and support of Dave during his illness.

A Celebration of Dave’s life was held at Einan’s Funeral Home Chapel (Bypass Highway & Swift Blvd.) on Saturday, February 24, 2018.

Friends and family are invited to share memories and remember the “Good Times” online Guest Book.

Note: His sister, Lynda ('65), passed away June 23, 2020.

Bomber Memorial put together by Shirley COLLINGS Haskins ('66).