Dean A. Rhoads

Dean A. Rhoads

Tuscarora - On April 23, 2018, Dean A. Rhoads - husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, rancher, and longtime public servant died at home of complications related to Parkinson's Disease while surrounded by family.

While at Cal Poly, the path of shy, handsome Dean happened to cross that of Sharon Packer who was also going to school there. They fell in love, and in 1964, married.

In 1966, they left CA to join the ranching operation of Sharon's parents near Tuscarora, NV. That was home for the rest of his life. Soon after moving to Tuscarora he joined the Elko County Fairboard. While on the Fairboard, Dean devised the hot iron branding contest as a way to commemorate America's bicentennial. In 1976, the first hot iron branding contest was held at the fair - a tradition that continues to this day and has been replicated throughout the west.

In 1976, this quiet spoken, apple boy turned rancher became Assemblyman Rhoads. Following six years in the Assembly, and unsuccessful bid for a seat in Congress, Dean was elected to the Nevada State Senate in 1984. As a State Senator, Dean represented at one time or another the residents of all or part of nine of Nevada's seventeen counties. Dean's rural NV senatorial district was the largest state legislative district in America, excluding Alaska. In fact, his legislative district was larger in geographical size than 34 of the 50 states, including states like New York, Illinois, and Florida. He served in this senatorial position for the next 28 years under 6 different governors.

Dad had a quiet way about him that aided him in getting bills pushed through the Nevada Legislature to benefit rural Nevada. He was instrumental in the development of the South Fork Dam, development of the Northern Nevada Community College (now known as Great Basin College) as well as GBC's continued growth, the California Trail Interpretive Center, not to mention the support he gave a myriad of other issues that weren't in the limelight. It was common for complete strangers to tell Dean how something he had supported had significantly helped that person in one way or another.

Dean's resolute voice frequently reminded us there were no barriers when people work together. Dad loved following politics and enjoyed the evening state and national news as late as the last week of his life. He was as passionate about the ranching industry as he was about creating a better world for rural Nevadans.

A funeral service will be held on May 3 at 11:00 in the Elko Convention Center, Elko NV.

Contributions may be made in Dean's memory to the Elko County Fairboard to be used for a perpetual award in the Fair's Branding Contest, PO Box 2067, Elko, NV 89803.