Valerie Jeaneane Rhoads

Valerie Rhoads, 63, of Cumming, Georgia passed away on the morning of Thursday, July 29, 2021 at Northside Forsyth Hospital after a prolonged illness.

Valerie was born on September 3, 1957, in Kansas City, Missouri, to Robert Warren and Caroljean (Graham) Lindley. She moved with her older brother and two younger sisters to Ava, Missouri in 1965 where she attended school. She played piano, clarinet, and bass clarinet, ran in track and field, swam and dove on the swim team, was a pom-pom girl, and was a member of the anchor and foreign language clubs. She competed in local, regional, and state competitions and accompanied her brother on piano and won top rating at a state competition at the University of Missouri.

Unfortunately, the family was forced to move after the Spaulding plant closed in 1973 and her father took a job in Neosho, Missouri. She continued to see a boy from Ava after the move and she married Michael David Rhoads on November 3, 1973, in Ava. Valerie and Mike ran a dairy farm for several years and she also worked at the Rawlings plant. Their daughter, Holly Jean, and son, Dylan Stewart, were both born during their time in Ava.

The family moved to Neosho in 1980 before joining other family members in Cumming, Georgia in 1986 where she lived ever since.  Valerie worked in senior care services since moving to Georgia. She worked for Forsyth County Senior Center as Manager of Senior Services for over 15 years and had just recently retired.

Valerie was a proud grandmother, “Grammy”, and would often be found at concerts, cheerleading competitions, volleyball, basketball, and baseball games supporting her grandchildren.  She was the comforter in the family, so it was only fitting that she would highlight this versus in her bible: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

She is proceeded in death by her older brother, Michael Steven, and her parents.

She is survived by her husband, Mike Rhoads; brother, Robert Lindley, sisters, Janet Penn, and Vivian Douglas; daughter, Holly Crane, and son, Dylan Rhoads; grandchildren, Michael Rhoads, Brady Waltzer, Callie Castleberry, Emily Rhoads, and David Rhoads; along with other special family members.

The family will hold a celebration of Valerie's life at a later date in Neosho, Missouri, where her cremated remains will be buried near her mother.

In lieu of flowers or plants, please make donations to Meals on Wheels:

https://meals-on-wheels.com/donate/donate-now/

Ingram Funeral Home & Crematory, Cumming, Georgia in charge of arrangements.

Condolences may be made at www.ingramfuneralhome.com.