Marion Josephine Rhodes DeSpain, 92, of Overland Park, Kansas died April 18, 2017 at CareHaven Memory Care House.
Marion was born June 21, 1924 in Magnolia Springs, Alabama to Thomas Benjamin and Ella Marie (Ellingsen) Rhodes. She grew up in Alabama.
Marion married Rev. Warren E. DeSpain on Oct. 27, 1944 in Foley Alabama. They moved to Kansas after WWII and Marion finished her college education at Baker University. She graduated with a bachelor of arts degree in English in 1947.
After college, Marion, Warren and infant son, Ira, moved to Chicago, where she lived until January 2017. For the past 12 years, she had lived at Bethany Retirement Community, Chicago.
She was a member of Irving Park United Methodist Church in Chicago, Illinois. She briefly taught kindergarten in the Chicago area and was a lifelong homemaker.
Marion was a very strong and wonderful mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She was a dedicated minister's wife and a great woman of faith. She will be dearly missed by family and friends.
Marion was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Rev. Warren in May of 2007; brothers, Thomas B. Rhodes Jr. and Elbert M. Rhodes.
She is survived by her son, Ira and wife Barbara DeSpain of Olathe, Kansas; grandchildren, Jennifer and Daniel; and four great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be 9 a.m. Monday, April 24, 2017 at Pine Rest Memorial Park and Funeral Home, 16541 U.S. 98, Foley, AL 36535, 251-943-5667.
Funeral service will be 10 a.m., following the visitation at the funeral home.
Burial follows at Pine Rest Memorial Park.
Memorial service will be 3 p.m. Sunday, April 30, 2017 at the Osborne Memorial Chapel, 515 6th St., Baldwin City, KS 66006.
Memorial contributions may be made to Bethany Methodist, c/o BMC, 5015 N. Paulina #200, Chicago. IL 60640, or Baker University c/o Rev. Kevin Hopkins P.O. Box 65, Baldwin City, KS 66006.
Condolences may be left at www.brucefuneralhome.com.
