Elaine Rhodes Obituary

Elaine Delores Rhodes was born July 15, 1939 to Willard and Pearl McGoy in Perth Amboy, New Jersey. She was the third child in her family and had three siblings - her older sister, Shirley; older brother Kenneth; and her younger brother Alvin Rudolph - who is now deceased.

The McGoy family lived in Tottenville, Staten Island, New York on the south side of the island. Elaine graduated from Tottenville High School. At age 17, she met Richard Llewellyn Rhodes from Harlem New York, who became her future and only husband. The couple married in September 1960.

Elaine and Richard’s first child, Lisa Renee, was born on October 2, 1964. Their second child, Richard Jeffrey, was born on December 21, 1968. The family lived in New Brighton, Staten Island, N.Y. Soon after, Elaine entered the medical field and earned an Associates degree in Nursing from Staten Island Community College and became a registered nurse/RN. Elaine and Richard divorced in 1977. Elaine remained on Staten Island and where she continued to raise her two children as a single parent.

Elaine worked in a wide variety of medical settings throughout her career over 30 years including private and public hospitals, health institutions, governmental health agencies and even public school systems.

In 2001, Elaine and her oldest, Lisa, moved to Maryland to be closer to Jeffrey who was working as a public school administrator. Lisa worked as a journalist at a military base. Elaine became a school nurse and worked at Carmody Hills Elementary School in Prince George’s County Public Schools, MD.

Elaine retired and helped Jeffrey and his wife, Genene, raise their two children, Jenay Sophia born June 13, 2005 and Jared Jeffrey born April 23, 2010.

Elaine was a member of the Mu Omicron Chapter of Gamma Phi Delta Sorority, Incorporated and often attended Kettering Baptist Church in Upper Marlboro, MD.

Elaine was a dedicated supported of higher education and regularly donated to the United Negro College Fund/UNCF as well as Boyz Town and similar programs for youth development.

Elaine was beloved and respected by her family, friends and colleagues. She enjoyed gardening, Rhythm and Blues/R&B music, gospel music and the PBS Program “Finding Your Roots” with Henry Louis Gates. Elaine also traveled to the Caribbean and to various western parts of the United States as an adult. One of her favorite colors is purple and its various shades/hues.

Elaine is survived by her two adult children, daughter-in-law, and two grandchildren, her sister Shirley, her brother Kenneth, nieces, nephews, their children and their children’s children.

The Rhodes Family would like to thank everyone who has joined us today to celebrate our mother’s life. If you would like to continue to honor her memory, please consider donating to the Sigma Mu Lambda/SML (*) Scholarship via the Ithaca 1906 Educational Fund to support deserving African-American and Latinx young men to attend and complete college. In your donation, please state, “in dedication to Elaine D. Rhodes on behalf of the Rhodes Family.”

(*) Sigma Mu Lambda is the 958th Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated to which Elaine’s son “Jeff” is an active alumni member.