Jerome Rhees

Jerome U. Rhees SUFFOLK - Jerome U. Rhees died in Suffolk on July 18, 2010, at the age of 87. Jerry was born in Piqua, Ohio in 1922, the son of Garnet U. and Bernice France Rhees, and was raised in Sidney, Ohio, where his father owned a clothing store. He is survived by his wife, Shirley McGuire Rhees and sons, David J. Rhees (wife Suzanne S. Rhees) of Minneapolis, Minn., and Stephen M. Rhees of New York. He is also survived by one granddaughter, Julia A. Rhees and two grandsons, Jason M. Rhees and Alexander L. Rhees; many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his three brothers, Bill, Jack and Tom, and one sister, Jane. While attending Ohio State University during World War II, he enlisted in the Army and served as a medic in India. After working for the American Consulate during the Paris Peace Conference, he earned a B.A. from the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University, where he also obtained a master's degree in history. He and Shirley were married in 1950 and spent 10 years in Cuyahoga Falls and Hudson, Ohio, where he worked in personnel management for B.F. Goodrich in Akron. In 1960, the family moved to Elizabeth City, N.C., where he served for 20 years as business manager and later professor of history and sociology at the College of the Albemarle. He and Shirley led many educational tours of countries in Europe and other lands. He was a member and vestryman at Christ Episcopal Church, where he helped lead a major capital campaign to restore the church building and windows. In 2002, they moved to Lake Prince Woods Retirement Center in Suffolk, where they joined St. John's Episcopal Church in Chuckatuck. Memorial services will be held at Lake Prince Woods at 2 p.m. Saturday, July 31. A private burial will follow at Christ Episcopal Church. Memorial gifts to any appropriate charity. R.W. Baker & Co. Funeral Home & Crematory is serving the family. Condolences may be registered at www.rwbakerfh.com.