Eleanor Parsons Rhoades

She was born at the original Mary Alley Hospital on Franklin Street on December 29, 1935 to Arthur and Eleanor (Messervey) Howell. She graduated from Marblehead High School class of 1953 and married her high school sweetheart Charlie Rhoades in August 1954. They enjoyed 52 years of marriage together, sharing many laughs with their family and friends.

In her early years Eleanor worked for the New England Telephone Company at the switchboard personally connecting each caller. She worked at the office and the guidance department of Marblehead High School from 1972 to 2000. She loved her interactions with the students and her time as registrar where she was happy to give her opinions on which college she thought they should attend. Friday nights she could be found selling tickets to the high school football games. She was very proud of how many Thanksgiving Day games she attended having started as a very young child rooting on her Uncles, then her future husband and her son. As a young girl her family huddled around the radio listening to Notre Dame's Fighting Irish football games and she became a fan for life. She was also an avid hockey fan and followed her son’s games as far as St. Lambert Quebec.

Following her retirement, she immediately began as a volunteer at the Marblehead Historical Commission doing what she loved best, sharing her knowledge of Marblehead. She was most proud of her Abbot Hall display on the history of Marblehead Football. Eleanor also enjoyed visiting with her grandchildren and spending quality time with her much-loved and lifelong friends, taking weekend trips to Maine, hitting the slot machines, attending Willie Nelson concerts, getting ice cream at Treadwell’s and going to Friday coffee with "the girls" at Dunkin Donuts.

She is survived by her son, Michael and his wife, Nancy Rhoades of Standish, ME, daughter, Kristine (Rhoades) Farrar and her husband Lewis of Marblehead, MA, son, John and his wife Jacqueline Rhoades of Appleton, ME; and daughter, Kathleen (Rhoades) McLaughlin of Salem, MA; six grandchildren, Charles McLaughlin of Medford, OR, Meghan (Rhoades) Brandow and her husband Tyler, of Hillsborough, NH, Erin McLaughlin of Salem, MA, Thomas Rhoades of Standish, ME, Riley Farrar of Marblehead, MA and Michael McLaughlin of Nahant, MA; one adored great grandchild, Madison Eleanor Brandow of Hillsborough, NH.

Arrangements: Friends and family are invited to call at the Eustis & Cornell Funeral Home, 142 Elm St., Marblehead, on Thursday, December 10th from 3 p.m. until 6 p.m. At the request of the family, and due to Covid-19 restrictions, all Funeral Services will be held privately. As an expression of sympathy, in lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Eleanor’s honor to The Boston House, 229 Kent Street, Brookline, MA 02446 or to a charity of your choice. To share a memory or offer condolences to the family, please visit eustisandcornellfuneralhome.com.