Dr. Harry Clement Rhodes

Dr. Harry Clement Rhodes of Queenstown, MD died at the University of MD Shore Medical Center at Easton on July 14, 2014. He was 99. Born on November 23, 1914 near Queenstown, MD, he was the son of the late Louis Kennard and Florence McConnor Rhodes. He graduated from Centreville High School in 1931 and graduated from Washington College in 1935 with a Bachelor of Science Degree. He continued his education and earned Master’s Degree in 1948 and his Doctor of Education Degree in 1960, both from the University of Maryland. In completing work for this degree, he completed courses at Columbia University, University of Chicago, University of Delaware, Johns Hopkins University, George Washington University and Goucher College. He began his teaching career in 1935 at Poolesville School, Poolesville, MD and became Vice Principal in 1940. On August 11, 1938 he married Elizabeth Creighton Jones of Dickerson, MD. During World War II he served in the United States Navy in the South Atlantic and Pacific areas on mine sweepers from 1942-1946 and attained the rank of Lieutenant before his honorable discharge in 1946. He taught for one year at Gaithersburg High School, Gaithersburg, MD and then returned to Poolesville School as Principal from 1947-1952. In 1952 he was named Superintendent of Schools in Queen Anne’s County and served in that position until he retired in 1967. During his tenure as Superintendent of Schools he was responsible for moving the system from a segregated to an integrated one without any major problems. He also was responsible for consolidating the four small high schools into one central high school, the Queen Anne’s County High School which has been in continuous operation since 1966. In 1967, Dr. Rhodes accepted the position of Dean of Faculty at Anne Arundel Community College, Arnold, MD and continued as such until his retirement in 1973. Upon his retirement he continued to work with many local organizations and groups in the area. In 1980, Dr. Rhodes was selected as the Man of the Year, an honor bestowed by the County Commissioners, in 1987 he was awarded the Alumni Citation from Washington College for his work in education and civic affairs, in 1990 he was awarded a citation for outstanding community services by the Centreville Rotary Club and in 1990 he was recognized by Chesapeake College for his many years of service to the College and Education. In 1991 the Centreville High School Alumni Association gave him a citation for his many years of service to the high school. In 1962 he compiled and wrote a History of the Queenstown Bank of Maryland; this history was updated in 1980. In 1976 he contributed to the writing of the History of St. Peter’s Church, in 1985 he completed and published the books “QUEENSTOWN”, a social history of a Small American Town, and “Country Boy Grows Up”. In 1988 he compiled the Rhodes Family History for eleven generations. He wrote many other papers and spoke to many groups and organizations in the area. He was a member of the National Education Association, the American Association of School Administrators, Teachers’ Associations of Montgomery and Queen Anne’s Counties as well as the Maryland State Association, Washington College and University of Maryland Alumni Associations, founding member of Monocacy Lions club, Poolesville, MD; founding member of Upper Montgomery County Volunteer Fire Dept., Beallsville, MD. For several years he served as Director of Easton Memorial Hospital as well as member of various committees of the Hospital. He was a founding member of Chesapeake College and served two terms on the Board of Trustees, served as a Director of Queenstown Bank of Maryland for 32 years, served on the Board of Directors of Chesterwye Center, Inc. for many years, was a founding member and director and Treasurer of the Board for the Chesterwye Foundation. Dr. Rhodes also served as the Chairman of the 1995 United Way Campaign. He also served as Treasurer and Vice President of St. Peter’s Cemetery Trust Fund and was a director of the Mid-Shore Community Foundation located in Easton, MD. He was an active member of St. Peter’s Catholic Church, Queenstown, and served on its Church Council and the Finance Committee for many years. He was a member of the Queen Anne’s County Historical Society, the American Legion at Centreville, VFW at Grasonville and the Moose Club at Queenstown, as well as the Kent Island Yacht Club. He served as Mayor of Queenstown for two years and was a member of the town board for five years. He received Chesapeake College’s “Pride of the Peake” Award in 2013. Dr. Rhodes was a long time stamp collector and he has traveled to 72 different countries and islands as well as the fifty states; except for the years of military service his wife traveled with him. Dr. Rhodes is survived by a sister, Margaret Alice Rhodes Brantley of Colfax, NC ; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his wife, Creighton, who died in 2009; and three brothers, J. Thomas Rhodes, Sr., Louis Kennard Rhodes, Jr., and William W. Rhodes. Friends and family may visit at the Fellows, Helfenbein & Newnam Funeral Home, Centreville, MD on Thursday, July 17 from 4-6 PM. A Funeral Liturgy will be celebrated for Dr. Rhodes at 11 AM on Friday, July 18 at St. Peter’s Catholic Church, Queenstown, MD. Burial will be at St. Peter’s Catholic Church Cemetery, Queenstown, MD. Memorial donations may be made to St. Peter’s Cemetery Trust, P.O. Box 10, Queenstown, MD 21658; Chestertwye Inc., PO Box 96, Grasonville, MD 21638; or to a charity of your choice.

Dr. Harry Clement Rhodes

November 23, 1914 - July 14, 2014