Mildred Louise Hyde Rhodes, 84, of Huntsville, AL passed away on September 30, 2024, in Huntsville.
Visitation will be held at the First Baptist Church of Huntsville chapel at 600 Governors Drive on Friday, October 4th at 1:00 p.m. The funeral service will be at 2:00 p.m. with Reverend Allan Greer officiating. The burial will immediately follow in Maple Hill Cemetery.
Louise was born in Ducktown, TN to Fred and Mildred Hyde on September 24, 1940. She went to high school at West Fannin and graduated in 1958. While at West Fannin, Louise played guard for the Yellow Jackets basketball team. She went on to attend Mars Hill College from 1958 – 1960 and then graduated from The University of Georgia with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics in 1962. Louise was active at UGA and loved Georgia football. She was also a member of the Zeta Tau Alpha sorority and continued her active alumni membership after moving to Huntsville in 1962. In Huntsville, Louise worked for the United Sates Army Missile Command for 40 years where she supported various computer and missile defense programs as a programmer analyst and supervisor.
She was an active member of Mountain View Baptist Church for 30 years, where she was instrumental in fund raising and planning to build the church’s family life center. Louise was most recently a member of First Baptist Church, where she was a member for over 20 years. After retiring, Louise spent her time researching her family genealogy, playing bridge, playing hymns on the piano, taking care of her family and loving on her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Louise commanded her kitchen and was an outstanding cook and baker, which is a trait she inherited from her mother. Her Angel Bread, Coconut Cake and Hershey Bar Cake will always be family favorites. Louise’s love of cars was fueled by fond memories of spending time with her father, who owned the Hyde Motor Company (“The Garage”) in Copperhill, TN.
Louise is survived by her husband of 59 years, Arnie O. Rhodes of Huntsville, AL; son, Lance Rhodes; daughters, Robin Stolz (Larry), Rachal Belanger (Michael), and Jenny Villiger (David); grandchildren, Amanda Stolz Norris, Alex Stolz Burdette, Andrew Villiger, Matthew Villiger, Adam Rhodes and Anniston Rhodes; and great-grandchildren, Cole Norris, Bryce Norris, Mckinley Norris, and Harlyn Kendrick.
Louise was preceded in death by her parents, Fred Ray Hyde and Mildred Anderson Hyde, brothers, Bill Hyde and Marvin Hyde, son, Allan Rhodes, and granddaughter, Audrey Rhodes.
Donations may be made to First Baptist Church of Huntsville.
