Meridian High Wildcats '58: Lee Arthur Rhodes, Deceased

A Tribute and Celebration

We were the class of 1958, members of the Greatest Generation as well as children of the Greatest Generation. Born in 1940, we are also called members of the Traditional Generation.
Our childhood, post World War II, "was the best of times . . . it was the age of wisdom . . . it was the epoch of belief . . .it was the season of Light . . . it was the spring of hope . . . we had everything before us . . .we were all going direct to Heaven . . . ." (A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens.) At least, that's the way I felt about it. We were truly blessed.
- Ouida Tomlinson -
This blog is a place for 1958 graduates of Meridian, Mississippi, High School to stay in touch, post their news, items of interest and photographs.
CLASS OF 1958 MEMORIES (Click to read all posts relating to sports, honors, graduation and other memories of our class in 1957-58.)
FACEBOOK PAGE FOR CLASS OF 1958
https://www.facebook.com/groups/MHS58/

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Thursday, April 7, 2011

Lee Arthur Rhodes, Deceased

Mary Jane (Kelly) Heisterkamp recently sent me an obituary from The Meridian Star, dated March 25, 2011. It brought back old memories from high school and probably will for you also. The obituary begins:

Services for Lee Arthur “House Rocker” Rhodes will be held Saturday, at 2 p.m., at Haven Chapel United Methodist Church with Rev. Cynthia Cross officiating. Burial will be in Forest Lawn Cemetery with Berry and Gardner Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Rhodes, 88, of Meridian, died Monday, Mar. 21, 2011, at Anderson Regional Medical Center. He was born June 22, 1922, in Meridian. He served the community as the first African-American disc jockey in Meridian at WOKK Radio Station.

Do you remember him? I remember his voice on the radio, and Mary Jane says he would come into the Activities Building and check with Ms. Kimbrall and head straight for the juke box, open his bag of records and start to work. She says that he always had the latest songs and some would go over and talk to him and ask if he had certain songs. He tried to keep everyone happy with the music. He was a good and kind man. May he rest in peace.

Berry and Gardner Funeral Home

Berry and Gardner Funeral Home was in charge of Mr. Rhodes’ funeral. I went to their website, and there is a page of interesting history, going back over 100 years. See website.