Daniel Wayne Rhodes Ph.D.

Funeral service for Daniel Wayne Rhodes, Ph.D, 63, of Nacogdoches, Texas, will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, October 29, 2011, at New Hope Congregational Methodist Church with son, Joshua Rhodes and son-in-law, Michael Davis, officiating. Burial will follow at McKnight Cemetery. Mr. Rhodes was born September 9, 1948, in Lutesville, now known as Marble Hill, Missouri, to Dillard O'Kelley and Cora Abernathey Rhodes. He passed away Wednesday, October 26, 2011, in Nacogdoches County, Texas. Dan graduated with a bachelor's degree from Westminster Bible College in Techaucana, Texas, a master's degree from Western Evangelical Seminary in Portland, Oregon, and a Ph.D. from California Graduate School of Theology. He owned Rhodes Lumber Company in Alto, Texas, for 25 years and pastored McKnight Congregational Methodist Church in Cushing, Texas, for the past 20 years. His former pastorates include Allentown Congregational Methodist, Rocky Point Congregational Methodist, Bedford Congregational Methodist and Briggs St. Congregational Methodist. He enjoyed his work, both sawmill and especially the ministry. He was a gifted teacher who loved helping train "young" men for the ministry and completed his final series Tuesday night just hours before going Home. When asked why he didn't teach graduate classes, he responded, "Because the local church is where the action is -- that's where you save them and baptize them, marry them and bury them." Dan was a master of understatement and loved playing jokes -- he was particularly proud of having convinced one person that he couldn't read and that he bought his wife a case of green beans for Christmas last year. He was married to Jan, the love of his life, for 33 years and was a wonderful daddy to Joshua and April; and his role as a father reached out and lovingly encompassed many nieces, nephews and friends. He was a good man. He is survived by his wife, Jan Mooney Rhodes of Nacogdoches; son, Joshua Rhodes and wife, Jessie, of Austin; daughter, April Davis and husband, Michael, of Sacul; his mother, Cora Rhodes of Florence, Mississippi; one sister, Eunice Bruce and husband, Bill, of Florence, Mississippi; two brothers, Obed Rhodes and wife, Wanda, of Marble Hill, Missouri, and Noah Rhodes and wife, Rachel, of Florence, Mississippi; nieces and nephews, Dawn Lincoln, Peter Rhodes, Crystal Elfrink, Becky Engelhart, Tora Rhodes, Ben Rhodes, Mary Ross, Lauri Drury, Katy Van Horn, Clint Sweat, Kelli Sweat and Trent Floyd. In addition to his father, Dillard O'Kelley Rhodes, he was preceded in death by a sister, Lois Shrum. Pallbearers will be Peter Rhodes, Ben Rhodes, Jimmy Rogers, Bill Bruce, Jim Sweat and Clint Sweat. Visitation will be held from 6 until 8 p.m. Friday, October 28, 2011, at Laird Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, Dan would be pleased for donations to be made to McKnight Congregational Methodist Church Youth Fund at PO Box 433 Cushing, Texas 75760. To convey condolence or to sign an online register please log onto www.lairdfh.net. Laird Funeral Home.