Ruffin L. Rhodes

Ruffin Rhodes was born on May 4, 1939 in Apalachicola Florida. Ruffin, or as he was most affectionately known...Bud, was the first of seven children for Mr. Ruffin and Mrs. Pearlie Mae Rhodes. He grew up learning his father’s carpentry trade and excelled in high school. He graduated valedictorian from Quinn High School in 1957 and began college at Florida A&M University majoring in Industrial Arts. However, believing his first obligation was to be a responsible father, he made the difficult decision to join the United States Air Force in 1959.

Bud married Bertha M. Croom, also from Apalachicola, on May 9, 1959 and the young family moved to California shortly thereafter. The young Air Force Sergeant began a distinguished career in the service including a deployment to South Vietnam. His family grew to four children and traveled throughout the world including tours to Germany, France, England, and various other locations in the United States.

Bud served a total of 26 years in the military when he retired in 1984. Despite being Floridians, Bud and Bertha elected to make Austin Texas their home joining a large contingent of Rhodes family members already residing in Texas. Throughout his life he remained committed and dedicated to family members in Apalachicola and Texas.

We will miss our husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, cousin, and friend. We will miss his fervent commitment to family ties. We will best honor him by our continual embracement and connection with family.

The family will receive friends from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., and Prayer Service to be held at 7:00 p.m, Friday, March 25, 2011 in the Chapel of Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Funeral Home.

Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m., Saturday, March 26, 2011 at Metropolitan AME Church located at 1101 E. 10th Street with Pastor N. Jordan Mkwanazi officiating. Interment with full military honors will be held at 11:00 a.m., Monday, March 28, 2011 at Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery located at 11463 State Highway 195 in Killeen, Texas 76542.

Honoring Mr. Rhodes as pallbearers will be Mr. Hubert Clayton, Mr. Nathan Gardley, Mr. Frank Glover, Mr. Andrew Rhodes, Mr. Frederick Rhodes, Mr. Willy Rhodes, Mr. Hank Taylor, and Mr. Willie Williams.