Peggy Lou (Jones) Rhodes

Peggy Lou Jones was born July 24, 1933 in Lonoke, Arkansas, to Evelyn M. Jones (Hastings) and Edward A. Jones, the youngest of 3 girls. The family moved to Rose City when Peggy was in elementary school, and she attended North Little Rock High School ‘Old Main’, graduating in 1951. Peggy was the biggest tomboy in town. She was a member of the band, playing drums until high school. In order to join the marching band, she had to switch to saxophone because at that time they would not let girls play drums in the marching band.

After high school, she went to work at ‘the phone company’ as she lovingly referred to it (Southwestern Bell). During that time, Peggy and her girlfriends had a lot of fun, leaving work on Friday to take weekend trips to Florida or New Orleans, rolling back into work on Monday morning. She loved to share these stories with her grandchildren. She met an Air Force boy around the time all of her friends were marrying off, and on Christmas Eve 1957 married Myron ‘Gene’ Rhodes. She loved to tell the tale of him returning to Indiana moping because he missed her, and at the urging of Gene’s father, drove back down to Little Rock and asked Peggy to marry him. They were married for 52 years.

Peggy and Gene traveled the world together with their 2 kids, Myron Jr. and Kimberly, moving to March Air Force Base in Riverside, California in 1960 shortly after their children were born. They lived on Eglin Air Force Base in the Florida panhandle, Bitburg Air Force Base in Germany, and returned to Rose City, Arkansas in 1973. Peggy and Gene spent their golden years in a house that Gene designed and oversaw the build of in Maumelle, Arkansas.

Peggy and Gene were a lively couple who loved to dance and socialize. Many barbecues and hangouts were held at their homes, and they loved to host as well as go out with friends. They attended many functions together at the Shriner’s Center and loved to take their grandkids to the Capital Club for a fancy dinner or to watch fireworks.

Peggy was a member of every organization she could get into. She was always active in the NCO Wives Club while Gene was in the service, filling every position including president at Bitburg AFB in Germany. Back in Arkansas in the 70’s she was asked to run for City Alderman, to which she relayed she had grown up with most all of the men in City offices and had beaten them all up at one time or another, and they knew she still could if they crossed her. So, she declined.

Peggy loved her sports, playing first base for the Bitburg Bombers, a team made up of Air Force wives, winning a few championships during their time in Germany. She picked up golf in her 60’s, and co-founded the Jeany Crawford Memorial Golf Tournament which was active for 16 years. She was a member of the Little Rock Women’s Golf Association, and served all offices over the course of 23 years with the Burns Park Women’s Golf Association. She was an active member of the Country Club of Arkansas, and then the Maumelle Country Club. While she loved to play softball and golf, her true sport loves were Razorback Football and Basketball.

Peggy was a vibrant and spirited woman, making friends and leaving laughter wherever she went. She loved her black and white westerns and her Hallmark movies. She also loved her family without ceasing, was loyal and always willing to lend a hand to someone in trouble. When Gene died in 2010, Peggy did not slow down and instead spent the remaining years of her life playing trivia with her close group of friends. Her longevity can certainly be attributed to her vivacity, her active lifestyle, and the depth of her friendships.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her sisters Bobbie Sutfin and Betty Risner, her son in law Toby White, the love of her life, Myron ‘Gene’ Rhodes, Sr., and many, many, dearly loved family pets. She is survived by her son Rev. Myron Rhodes, Jr (Annette), and her daughter Kimberly White; her grandchildren Michelle ‘Mitch’ Rhodes (Scott), Amber ‘Ace’ White Murphy (Lance), Malleri ‘Liz’ Rhodes (Brooks), and Cody ‘Codeman’ Rhodes (Michaela); her great grandchildren Alexis ‘Big Al’ Spears, Connor Murphy, Anderson Calhoun, and Ella Rhodes; her adopted daughter Lynn Matheny (Web) and adopted grandchildren Victoria Poirrier (Nova), Taylor Ross, and Hannah Matheny; many loving nieces and nephews; and her best friends JoBeth Schlatterer, Ragan Muncy, Pam ‘Rookie’ Evans, Camille Norton, Sue Moore, Tiffany Harper, and Debbie Pipkin.

A celebration of Peggy’s long and wonderful life will be held at Maumelle Country Club on April 26th from 12-2pm for friends and family. Peggy will join Gene and, per their wishes, find their final resting place on the shores of the Florida Gulf coast.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to ACCESS Early Childhood Academy in her honor. https://accessgroupinc.org/support/give/

Arrangements by Arkansas Cremation, 10515 W Markham St, Suite B1, Little Rock, Arkansas 72205.If you would like to leave a message of condolence to the family, you may do so using the Guestbook section.

www.arkansascremation.com