Willard Pinkney "Boots" Rhodes

1933 - 2019

Willard Pinkney "Boots" Rhodes

Willard Pinkney "Boots" Rhodes passed away at least 12 years late on November 3, 2019. He survived an appendix rupture and surgery in 1945 at tiny Fletcher Hospital. He survived The Korean War, and in the 70s he was crushed while working on a car. He squirmed his way out on his own. He has been hit by lightning three times, beaten cancer twice, raised six children, and in the summer of 2007 his heart raced to 250 beats per minute while he was working on his porch in West Virginia. Most would drop dead from a heart rate that high, he took an aspirin and waited for someone to pick him up to take him to the hospital. His tachycardia has given him free rides on helicopters all over the country - from Buckeye WV to Roanoke, and the lip of the Grand Canyon to Flagstaff, Arizona. And if someone were to ask what he died from, the family's answer is well...everything. It took everything in him quitting for him to quit. His life was his favorite maxim, "Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without."

Boots was born January 1, 1933 in Hoopers Creek, North Carolina, the 4th of 5 children to Henry and Birdell Lanning Rhodes. He travelled the world and died a half mile from where he was born.

His life was bigger than words in a newspaper, and we'll feel his loss the rest of our lives. But we'll see his reflection in the eyes of each other and our children as we strive to become better people every day the same way he did, and in that maybe we will find some comfort.

He is survived by his wife of ten years, Ginger Wilkie Rhodes, two sisters - Nellie Wilkie and Phyllis Griffin Mann, his six children - Deborah Rhodes Owens, Bill Rhodes, Jason Rhodes, Justin Rhodes, Kelly Rhodes Paschall, and Shelby Rhodes Foley and all their spouses and 25 children and grandchildren.

Services will be held at First Baptist Church, Hendersonville Thursday at 3:00 PM, with visitation beginning at 1:00. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Gideons International. Shuler Funeral Home is handling the service and a full remembrance of his life may be read at https://www.shulerfuneralhome.com/obituary/.