Dr. Frederick Rhoads

Dr. Frederick Rhoads, 85, entered into rest on Friday, September 10, 2021.

Frederick was born on January 12, 1936, in New Site, Mississippi to the late Milton and Euna Whitehead Rhoads. He was the oldest of five children and grew up on a 600-plus acre farm. It was there that Fred’s roots were formed and where his passion for the land began. In November of his senior year at New Site High School, he married the beautiful Sue Isbell and graduated as the President of FFA and as the 1954 Class President. Following graduation, he completed two years at Northeast Mississippi Community College. The Rhoads family then moved to Starkville, Mississippi where he went on to graduate from Mississippi State University with a degree in General Agriculture. He started his career as a soil surveyor in Jackson, Mississippi, followed by three years in College Station, Texas, earning his Master’s Degree in Soil Physics from Texas A&M. The family moved back to Starkville for two years where he earned his Doctorate in Soil Physics from Mississippi State University.

In 1966, the family moved to Quincy, Florida. Fred began his long and distinguished tenure with the University of Florida/IFAS at the North Florida Research and Education Center in Quincy. He eventually retired from the University of Florida after 35 years as a professor of Soil and Water Science. Fred was a faithful 50-year member of First Baptist Church in Quincy, where he enjoyed serving as a Deacon and a Sunday School teacher for various classes. At church, he also held many other positions including Chairman of Deacons. He served as President of Talquin Camp of Gideons. Working with the Gideons meant the world to him. After moving to Kathleen, Georgia, Central Baptist was his church home while living in Georgia. In retirement and his spare time, Fred also loved golfing and growing roses. Most of all, though, he loved his family and enjoyed every second he could with his grandchildren.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two brothers, Bill and Larry Rhoads, and a sister, Carolyn Crouch.

Fred’s memory will forever be treasured by his loving wife of 67 years, Sue Isbell Rhoads of Kathleen; children, Debbie Yarbrough (Stan, Ret. Col.) of Kathleen, and Rev. Timothy Frederick Rhoads (Robbie) of Blountstown, Florida; grandchildren, Shannon Scott (Rev. Ryan) of Charleston, SC, Thomas Yarbrough (Eileen) of Macon, GA, Joshua Rhoads of Dalton, GA, Caleb Rhoads (Brittany) of Warner Robins, and Anna Rhoads, Blountstown, Florida; great grandchildren, Sophia Scott, Isaac Scott, Isabelle Scott, Samuel Yarbrough, and Sarah Yarbrough; and sister, Marilyn Kelly of Booneville, Mississippi as well as many nieces and nephews.

The family will receive friends on Tuesday, September 14, 2021, from 11:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. at Central Baptist Church. A funeral service celebrating Fred’s life will be held immediately following visitation at noon at the church. Afterwards, Fred will be laid to rest privately in Magnolia Park Cemetery. Officiating for the service are Reverend Timothy Rhoads, Pastor Steven Byrd, and Dr. Shelly Chandler. For friends unable to attend at this time, the service will be streamed live via the McCullough Funeral Home Facebook page at www.facebook.com/mcculloughfuneralhome/live/.

The family will accept flowers or donations may be given in memory of Dr. Frederick Rhoads to the Gideons International, P.O. Box 537, Warner Robins, GA 31099.

Learn more about the measures McCullough Funeral Home is taking to ensure the health and safety of our guests at www.mcculloughfh.com. There you can also sign an Online Registry for the family. McCullough Funeral Home and Crematory has the privilege of being entrusted with these arrangements.