This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Rhodes, Milks, Wallace, Rice, Hern, Recker Classification: Obituary Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/SRB.2ACE/11957 Message Board Post: PJ: 6/10/2004: Santa Barbara, Calif.: Ralph E. "Dusty" Rhodes, 99, of Santa Barbara died Wednesday June 2, 2004. He was born on Nov. 26, 1904, in East Randolph, the son of Edward Asahel and Sibyl Milks Rhodes. He earned a bachelor of arts degree in chemistry in 1926 and a master of arts degree in geology in 1927 from Colgate University. In 1928 he joined the faculty of Bemus Point Central school, and two years later served as principal for 28 years. In later years, he taught chemistry at Frewsburg Central School until 1962. He had been a member of the Methodist Choir in Bemus Point, and a member of the champion Riverside, Calif., Barbershop Citrus Belters Chorus of SPBSQA. Dusty was a teacher, educator, and mentor to many children at Bemus. An avid fly fisherman, he also spent many nights using "live-bait" to hook the mighty muskellunge in Chautauqua Lake. He loved tennis, traveling with his wife, Ruth, all over the world, and acting in local amateur plays. He enjoyed reciting the speeches of Patrick Henry, Shakespear's Sonnets and Lord Byron. On the day before he died, Ralph took his usual one-mile walk on the beach to enjoy the wonders of nature and the warm sun. He is survived by his wife of 71 years, Ruth Wallace Rhodes of Santa Barbara; a son, Douglas Rhodes of Yardley, Pa.; a daughter, Sondra Rhodes Rice of Santa Barbara, with whom he made his home; four grandchildren: David Rice of London, England, William Rice of Hartford, Conn., Jennifer Rhodes Hern of Washington and Erica Rhodes Recker of Atlanta; and four great-grandchildren. He was buried June 9 in Cottage, N. Y.