Walter Jay Rhodes

Walter “Jay” Rhodes, 89, of Kent, passed on Thursday March 6, 2025.

He was born in Ravenna on Nov 27, 1935, to the late Glenn W. and Frances (Moledor) Rhodes.

Jay’s father was in the service station business in Kent, Ohio, Jay was called upon starting at 12 years old to help go on service calls when he wasn’t in school. He graduated from Kent State High School, joining his father in the Glenn and Jay Citgo at 1107 W. Main St, which he ran after his father’s passing until 1973. During that time he also had a truck rental and towing business eventually transitioning the location into a Tire Marketers. He enjoyed stock car racing, bowling, boating on Lake Erie, attending the Indy 500 for over 20 years and burgers from Short Stop and his friends the Hintz’ A&W. He was a member of the Ohio National Guard in the early 60’s, and was a life member of the Kent Elks 1377 where he bowled for many years in the bowling league and served as league treasurer. Jay always wanted to serve in the Police, in the late 70’s he had an opportunity to attend the police academy at Kent State and then volunteered as a Portage County Deputy Sheriff.

Jay opened Jay’s Sunoco at Prospect and Main in Ravenna in 1978, in 1985 he added the first convenience store in Ohio due to the high volume of gas sales, selling over a million gallons a year. He was proud of the fact that many of his Kent customers also visited him in Ravenna and he had an opportunity to serve several generations of families.

Jay retired in 1997 and was able to spend 20 years of winters in the Clearwater, Florida area and summers with friends who became family at Lake Wapusun in Wooster.

He is survived by his loving and devoted wife Kathleen A. (Brown), and his children Jennifer of Rocky River and Jason of Kent. Surviving him are his many cousins, Griffiths, Moledors, Stimmels and Umbergers.

His family would like to thank Maplewood of Twinsburg and Mulberry Gardens Memory Care in Munroe Falls, Ohio, and the many staff at Crossroads Hospice who provided Jay and family with amazing generosity of spirit and loving care. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations made be made to American Heart Association and Alzheimer’s Association in his memory.

Memorial Service will be held at 12:30 PM on Friday, March 14th, 2025, at Bissler & Sons Funeral Home, 628 W. Main St. Kent, OH. Visitation will be 11:00 AM-12:30 PM. Inurnment will be at Maple Grove Cemetery in Ravenna, OH.

To share a memory, send a condolence or light a candle, please visit the tribute wall at www.bisslerandsons.com