Frances J. Rhodes

Frances Joan Rhodes, age 92, of Gwynedd, PA, passed away on Wednesday, December 4, 2024.
Frances was born on June 1, 1932, in Kansas City, KS, the youngest child of William D. Rhodes and Josephine R. Zeller. She received her BA Degree from Benedictine College, Atchison, KS and her MS Degree from the Creighton University, Omaha, NB. From 1950 through 1973, as a member of the Benedictine sisters of Mount Saint Scholastica Monastery in Atchison, KS, she taught and administered in Parochial Schools in the mid-West. In 1973, she resigned from the Benedictine Community and re-located to State College, PA where she worked as an elementary administrator in the State College Area School District.
In 1975, she received her Ph.D. from the Pennsylvania State University. From 1978-1981, she served as the Asst. Superintendent in the Methacton School District and from 1981-1984, she served as Superintendent of the Easton Area School District. From 1984-1991 she served as Superintendent of the North Penn School District in Lansdale, PA. From 1991-2006, she served overseas as Director of American and United Nations International Schools in Bangladesh, Greece, Vietnam, Cambodia and Austria. While serving as the Director of the United Nations International School in Hanoi, Vietnam, she led successful negotiations with the Vietnamese authorities for the construction of the modern purpose-built United Nations International School Campus in Hanoi, Vietnam.
Following her retirement from International Schools in 2006, she resided in Corea, Maine until 2009 when she re-located to the Foulkeways Retirement Community in Gwynedd, PA. From 2009 to her passing, she was a member of the Worshipping Community and a Norbertine Associate at Daylesford Abbey in Paoli, PA.
Frances was the last surviving member of her immediate family: father, William D. Rhodes (deceased 1933), mother, Josephine R. Zeller (deceased 1965), brother, Firman D. Rhodes (deceased 1938), brother, Quintin D. Rhodes (deceased 1999), and sister, Doris J. Freeby (deceased 2003).
Frances is survived by the following 14 nieces and nephews: Leonard Freeby, Cedar Hill, TX, (Rogean Thomas, Paris, TX – dec. 2019), Donna Paine, Rossville, KS, (Stephen Freeby, Miami, FL – dec. 2009), Gerald Freeby, Rossville, KS, Janet Freeby, Mesa, AZ, Joan Graves, Topeka, KS, Doris Marshall, El Dorado, KS, Sharon Freeby, Glendale, AZ, Sharyl Freeby, Glendale, AZ, Teresa Berberich, Old Hickory, TN, Dudley Freeby, Kansas City, KS, Denise Freeby, St. Charles, MO, Susan Rhodes, Auburn, WA, Christine Wheeler, Renton, WA, and Thomas Rhodes, Auburn, WA.
Visitation will be Saturday, January 18, 2025 from 11:00AM to 12:00PM at the Daylesford Abbey, 220 South Valley Road, Paoli, PA with a Funeral Mass to begin at 12:00PM. Burial will be private in Mount Calvary Cemetery, Kansas City, KS.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Frances' memory may be made to the Daylesford Abbey's homeless shelters (Bethesda Project) and food pantries in inner-city Philadelphia by mailing donations to: Daylesoford Abbey, 220 South Valley Road, Paoli, PA 19301
Arrangements are made by the Huff & Lakjer Funeral Home, Lansdale, PA. Send condolences at www.huffandlakjer.com