Rhoda "RJ" Jane (Priest) Erhardt

RHODA/MOM/GRANDMA/GREATGRANDMA/RJ

Rhoda Jane Priest (RJ) Erhardt was born on March 14, 1932, in Elizabeth, New Jersey, the first child of Benjamin Herman Priest, a lawyer, and Julia Cohn Priest, an interior decorator. Her brother, Ben, was born two years later.

Rhoda graduated from high school in June 1949 and entered the University of Illinois, where she majored in occupational therapy. After graduating in December 1953, she was commissioned as a lieutenant in the Women’s Medical Specialists Corps of the United States Army in March 1954. She was assigned to Brooke Army Hospital in San Antonio, Texas, where she served as Chief Occupational Therapist of the Burn Center. Following her honorable discharge in 1956, she married Ron Erhardt. She devoted herself to raising her family as a stay-at-home mother, living in Williston, New England, Minot, and Fargo, North Dakota.

In 1967, as a single parent, Rhoda resumed her professional career as Director of the North Dakota Easter Seal Mobile Therapy Unit. She earned a master’s degree in Child Development and Family Relations from North Dakota State University in 1974. In 1977, she received advanced training in the treatment of cerebral palsy in London, England, and in 1978 entered private practice as a consultant in pediatric occupational therapy.

Rhoda P. Erhardt was a pioneering pediatric occupational therapist, author, and consultant whose work transformed the understanding of hand development and visual dysfunction in children. Over a career spanning more than 70 years, she made lasting contributions through clinical assessments, educational materials, and professional leadership used worldwide.

Her specialization focused on the development of prehension (hand skills), ocular motor control, and feeding in children with cerebral palsy and learning disabilities. She developed widely used clinical tools, including the Erhardt Developmental Prehension Assessment (EDPA) and the Erhardt Developmental Vision Assessment (EDVA), which remain foundational in pediatric occupational therapy. In 1989, she founded Erhardt Developmental Products, producing award-winning instructional videos and materials for clinicians, educators, and families.

Rhoda was inducted into the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) Roster of Fellows in 1983. She provided evaluation and consultation services to health agencies, educational systems, and national corporations, and presented workshops throughout the United States and internationally. She authored numerous books, chapters, assessments, journal articles, and instructional videos, and remained active in local, state, and national professional organizations. In 2011, she received the University of Illinois at Chicago Alumni Achievement Award. She retired at age 90 in 2022.

Outside of her professional life, Rhoda found great joy in needlework and crafts—often shared with her grandchildren and her Mensa Sharp Women group. She loved music and sang in the choir at Guardian Angels Catholic Church, delighting many with her ukulele performances. She collected chess sets, antique tables, and artistic representations of hands in jewelry, sculpture, and prints. Above all, her most cherished time was spent with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, with whom she shared a special and individual bond.

Her four children survive Rhoda: her son, Edward (Laurie) Erhardt of New York City; and her daughters, Elizabeth Regimbal of Stillwater, Minnesota, Jane Burch of Woodbury, Minnesota, and Sally (Ron) Knoche of Little Canada, Minnesota. Her grandchildren also survive her: Brett (Lillian) of Golden Valley, Minnesota; Colin Erhardt of Boston, Massachusetts; Justine (Andrew) Pringle of West Fargo, North Dakota; Julie (Jared) Freeberg of Hudson, Wisconsin; Amanda (Eric) Zakszewski of Oak Creek, Wisconsin; Alexandra Burch of Oak Creek, Wisconsin; Brianne Knoche of Hugo, Minnesota; and Aryka (Jordan) Horn of Woodbury, Minnesota. Her great-grandchildren include Mallory and Brooklyn; Avery and Abigail; Wren and Lainey; Autumn and Emmett; Myla; and a baby Horn on the way.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Benjamin and Julia Priest; her brother, Ben Priest; her stepsister, Wendy Jones; and her son-in-law, Gregg Regimbal.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Rhoda’s Scholarship Fund at the University of Illinois, Chicago, reflecting her lifelong commitment to education and service, or to Camp Avanti, an organization she supported for many years in her work with children with autism.

A Mass of Christian Burial for Rhoda will be held on Thursday, January 15, 2026 at 11 am at Guardian Angels Catholic Church, 8260 4th St N, Oakdale, MN, with a visitation one hour prior. Private interment with military honors at Ft. Snelling National Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to Rhoda’s Occupational Therapy Endowed Scholarship Fund at the University of Illinois,Chicago Department of OT https://payment.uif.uillinois.edu/in-memory-of-rhoda-erhardt

or to Camp Avanti , Avanti Therapeutic Projects.org https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/b97a0a22-2797-40d8-9658-56b91d84cde3