Dr. LaDonna Dean Rhodes

Dr. LaDonna Dean Rhodes passed away at her home in Hot Springs Village, Arkansas, on Friday, October 13, 2023.

She was born on June 18, 1927, in Ida Grove, Iowa to her late parents George Herman and Hilda (Dorale) Schmidt. She was baptized and confirmed at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Ida Grove, on June 26, 1927 and April 6, 1941, respectively. She had two sisters, Virginia Prell and Florence Mildenstein, who have predeceased her.

LaDonna was married June 11, 1960 to James H. Rhodes who passed away August 28, 2012. James and LaDonna moved from Southern California to Hot Springs Village in June 1999 and built their home on Lake Balboa.

LaDonna before her retirement was a Professor of Accounting at Fullerton College, Fullerton, California, for 33 years and an Adjunct Lecturer in Accounting at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona) for 25 years. She taught at Fullerton in the mornings and then traveled two days a week to Pomona to teach in the afternoons and evenings.

She began her teaching career in 1948 at Otter Creek No. 2 in Schleswig, Iowa teaching grades 7 and 8. Her interest in teaching progressed and she began teaching general business courses at Omaha Technical High School after obtaining her Bachelor’s degree in 1954.

She graduated from the University of Nebraska, Omaha in January 1954 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Education, English, and Business Administration. She continued her education and obtained a Master of Science degree in Secondary Education and Psychology in June 1955 and did advanced graduate work in Accounting, Marketing and Finance in the Summers of 1956 and 1957. In Summer 1959, she did advanced graduate work in Statistics and Finance at the University of Minnesota.

In between her studies and graduate work, she taught accounting as an Assistant Professor at Kansas State College from 1956-1957 and also was faculty advisor to the Sigma Nu Sorority. She then moved to Michigan to teach accounting courses at Ferris State College from 1957-1961. It was during her time at Ferris State that she met and married her husband, James. During that same period, she completed all course work and qualifying exams at Michigan State University for a doctoral degree.

LaDonna and Jim moved to California in 1962 and she began teaching general business courses at Rancho Alamitos High School in Garden Grove. She went on to become an Accounting Professor at Fullerton College in 1962. In November 1977, she earned her Ph.D. in Business Administration at California Coast University in Santa Ana based largely on her course work at Michigan State University.

During her academic career, she was very actively involved in professional organizations. In 1985, she was nominated for the California Society of Certified Public Accountants Business Faculty Role Model award. On October 24, 1996, she was inducted into The Cal Poly Pomona Accounting Hall of Fame.

She was an inspiration to her students and a credit to the accounting and education profession. One of her former student wrote: “Dr. Rhodes always went the extra mile in bringing interesting information outside textbooks to stimulate our learning processes. Her energetic nature and personal interest in the success of all of her students was very motivating.”

While in Hot Springs Village, she was involved in Faith Lutheran Church activities, including Braille Ministry Centers #156 (HSV) and #160 (HS), founding member of the Faith Bell Choir, Ladies Guild Quilting, and Women’s Valentine’s Day Dinner Parties, especially writing and performing in the after-dinner entertainment. Her other interests were playing the piano and organ, playing cards, reading, and sewing.

LaDonna is survived by a number of nieces and nephews. She also is survived by her and Jim’s long-time friend and caregiver, Don Putnam, Hot Springs Village, Arkansas.

Funeral services will be held at Faith Lutheran Church, Hot Springs Village, Arkansas, on Wednesday, October 25, at 10:00 A.M. Visitation will begin at 9:00 A.M.

Memorials in memory of LaDonna may be made to Braille Ministry Center #156, Lutheran Braille Workers, Inc., P.O. Box 5000, 13471 California Street, Yucaipa, California 92399-1450 or Faith Lutheran Church Memorial Garden, 1196 DeSoto Blvd., Hot Springs Village, Arkansas 71909, the Salvation Army or a charitable organization of your choice.