Harvey (Jeff) Rhoads, 82, of Leola, passed away on Sunday, Sept. 13, 2015, at Hospice & Community Care, Mount Joy.
He has been married to Mareta “Marti” (Rabuck) Rhoads since Dec. 27, 2009. His first wife, Louise (Keene) Rhoads, died in May of 2006.
They had five children: Douglas T., wife of, Sue Rhoads of Mountville; Michael P., partner of, Carl Bomberger of Marietta; Susan, wife of, Bill Kivler of Fla.; Katherine E. Ream of Del.; and Emily, wife of, Shane Gehman of Ephrata. There are four grandchildren: Aubrey Provanzo, Brett Rhoads, Kristen Kivler, Ian Kivler; and three great-grandchildren.
Jeff was the son of Harvey and Hazel (Hadley) Rhoads, Amityville, Berks County, April 1933.
He is preceded in death by brother: Gilbert S. Rhoads. He is survived by two brothers: James D. Rhoads and P. Henry Rhoads; and sister: Ann (Rhoads) Mengel.
Jeff graduated from Amity High School in 1951. He attended Temple University for two and a half years before he was inducted into the Army.
His work career consisted of three years with Kutz Builders and then three years as a territory manager of Berks and Lebanon counties for Colgate-Palmolive. In 1962 he joined the James A. Weaver Food Brokerage company in their Philadelphia office. Three years later he transferred to the home office in Lancaster to start up a frozen foods division. In 1970 he was promoted to vice president and later had the assignment of creating and managing a confectionary and a HABA sales division. He was instrumental in merging the Scranton, Philadelphia and Lancaster sales areas. Jeff retired in 1995 after 33 years of service. In that time, the company grew from 15 employees to 165 employees.
Jeff’s favorite sports were baseball and golf. He was a member of Meadia Heights Golf Club for 15 years and served on the board of directors for 12 of those years. He was a past president of the Central PA Food Brokers Association, past president of the Amity Athletic Club and a member of the Berks County Old Timers Basketball Association.
A visitation will be held on Thursday, Sept. 17, from 10 to 11 a.m., at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, 150 Water St., New Holland, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11 a.m., with Father Patrick McGarrity C.SS.R as celebrant. Final Commendation and Farewell will be private at the convenience of the family.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Lebanon VA Medical Center, 1700 S. Lincoln Ave., Lebanon, PA 17042.
Arrangements by Stradling Funeral Homes, Inc., Akron/Ephrata. Online condolences can be given at stradlingfuneralhome.com.
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