Harold V. Rhodes

1932 - 2020

Harold V. Rhodes



Harold Vergil Rhodes passed away November 27th, 2020 after a long, courageous battle with cancer.

'Hal' was born July 19th, 1932 in Wichita Kansas to Harold and Verginia Rhodes. His family moved to Vacaville CA during World War II, where his father worked as a welder at the Mare Island shipyard. After the war they moved back to Kansas, this time Wellington, where Hal lived out the remainder of his childhood, graduating from Wellington High School. Both sides of his family were pioneers of the southeast region of Kansas, his father's family from Sedan and his mother's, Neodesha.

Hal attended George Washington University during his service in the Air Force and eventually obtained his master's degree (Wichita State) and doctorate (University of Arizona) in political science. He and his young family then moved to Winston Salem, NC where he taught at Wake Forest University. In 1966, Hal relocated to the University of New Mexico and served as professor of Political Science for close to 20 years.

Hal transitioned from a teaching career to broadcast journalism in the 1980's, focusing his attention on local news and current affairs.

He produced and moderated the KNME's nightly news show, The Illustrated Daily, as well KNME's weekly news show, On Assignment. Hal received a regional Emmy award for his documentary, Monuments to Failure: America's Prison Crisis (1988).

His career continued into the 1990's in print journalism. He both ran and wrote for the New Mexico News Services.

Hal was beloved by his family and friends and he dearly cherished them. He was a fair-minded man with a wry sense of humor and a defender of those less fortunate. And he was a lover of animals.

Hal was preceded in death by his father Harold Phillip Rhodes, mother Henrietta Verginia Rhodes and younger brother Franklin Eugene Rhodes (Gene). He is survived by his husband John Dileanis, daughter Danna Rhodes and partner Dave Ellis, son Phillip Rhodes, brother-in-law Jonathan Melugin and three nieces; Martha Secondine, Beth Redmon and Lynn Rhodes.

A Celebration of Life will be planned for next spring (Covid permitting).