Dale E. Rhodes

Dale E. Rhodes, 84, of Colona, Illinois, passed away on Friday, April 28, 2023, peacefully at home with his family.

A Memorial Mass is 10:00 a.m. Saturday, May 13, at St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church, Coal Valley.  Cremation will take place at Trimble Crematory, Moline, under the direction of Trimble Funeral Home.  There will be a Celebration of Life in Fowler, Indiana, at a later date.  Memorials may be made to Cardiology and Heart Care at Trinity Health Foundation (https://www.unitypoint.org/giving/trinity-quad-cities-foundation/donate), or The Geneseo Basketball Program (http://gofundme.com/f/in-memory-of-dale-rhodes).

Dale was born October 19, 1938, in Lafayette, Indiana, the son of Clarence and Pearl (Thomas) Rhodes. He graduated from Fowler, Indiana High School in 1956. Dale participated in high school sports playing basketball and running track. In 1956, he set the high school record for the 100-yard dash.

Dale served in the Army in Korea from 1956- 1958. While in Korea, he played basketball for the Army. After returning from the service, he started working for Ringle Express, Inc. as a safety director in Fowler, IN.

Dale was united in marriage to Marilyn Freeland on June 13, 1959, at Sacred Heart Church in Fowler, Indiana. Ringle Express opened a second location in the Quad Cities in 1960, and Dale and Marilyn transferred to the Quad Cities then. After retiring from the trucking industry, Dale and Marilyn owned and operated Countryside Tearoom in their home while traveling all over the Midwest doing craft shows.

Dale loved sports and coached little league basketball and baseball in Geneseo, IL. His biggest joy was watching his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren play sports and participate in extracurricular activities.

Dale is survived by his loving wife, Marilyn; sister, Doris Bird; three children, Cathy Gilman, Colona, Chris (Jim) Nordstrom, Geneseo, and Richard (Sofia) Rhodes, Ft. Myers, Florida; nine grandchildren, Shane, Jenica (Blake) Scheib, Brenden (Erica), Jamisen (Meghan), Chance (Lexy) and Jarron Nordstrom, and Elizabeth, Olivia and Jennifer Rhodes; ten great-grandchildren, Alec, Traven, Landon, Kami, Weston, Hunter, Marshall, Aiden, Hailee Nordstrom, and Asher Scheib; and many loving nieces, nephews, brothers and sisters-in-law, and friends.

Dale was preceded in death by his parents, Clarence and Pearl (Thomas) Rhodes; in-laws, Bernard and Catherine Freeland; son-in-law, Richard Gilman; brothers-in-law, James Freeland and George Grieves; sisters-in-law, Joyce, Phyllis, Jan and Mary Freeland; niece, Mary Miller; and nephew, Mark Grieves.

The family invites friends to share stories and condolences at TrimbleFuneralHomes.com.