7/7/12 — Peggy Joan Butler Rhodes

Peggy Joan Butler Rhodes passed away on July 2, 2012, after a brief illness.

She was the widow of Dr. Virgil L. Rhodes, OD DOS.

Born in Manchester, TN, she was the daughter of Thurman Alexander and Connie Arnold Butler, both deceased. She was also preceded in death by her brothers Thurman Buell Butler and Billy Alexander Butler.

Her sister and true friend, Polly B. Cuzzort, survives.

Married to Dr. Rhodes on September 19, 1954, her children are Judy Rhodes Allen (Clark) and Jeff Butler Rhodes (Sonia). Her grandsons are Jake and Jeb Allen and John Rhodes. She has 5 nieces and nephews with 1 deceased niece and numerous grand nieces and nephews.

Mrs. Rhodes was valedictorian of the Manchester High School class of 1948. She received a Bachelors of Fine Arts from Peabody College at Vanderbilt in 1952. Following graduation she was a buyer for Castner Knott in Nashville. Later, she was employed as an Engineering Assistant at the Arnold Engineering Development Corporation (1954-1963).
An active member of the Auxiliary to the Tennessee Optometric Association, she worked tirelessly to improve the sight of young children and to raise awareness of the importance of vision. She served in several capacities with the Auxiliary over the years including as President.

A lifelong member of the First United Methodist Church in Manchester, she lived her life as a true example of a Christian woman.

Visitation with the Rhodes family will be Friday evening, July 6, 2012, from 5:00 until 8:00 p.m. at Coffee County Funeral Chapel.

Funeral services will be conducted Saturday, July 7, 2012, at 2:00 in the afternoon at the funeral home.

Burial to follow in Rose Hill Memorial Gardens.

The eulogy will be delivered by Dr. Richard Phillips, President of the Southern College of Optometry, Memphis with prayers from the Reverend Neal Glass, First United Methodist Church in Manchester. Serving as pallbearers are nephews Billy Butler, Steve Willmore, and Monte Rhodes and grand nephews Daniel Bradshaw, Adam Willmore and Alan Willmore. Honorary pallbearers are all the members of the TN Optometric Association and the American Optometric Association.

Memorials: Dr. Virgil and Peggy Rhodes Endowment Fund, Southern College of Optometry, 1245 Madison Avenue, Memphis, TN 38104-2222.
CASA Works, Inc., serving Bedford, Coffee and Rutherford counties. 224 West Fort Street, Manchester, TN 37355
An avid reader, she would be honored by donations of books to any library.

Coffee County Funeral Chapel in charge of arrangements