Roberta (Webel) Rhoades

Susan Roberta (Webel) Rhoades, 98, passed away March 24, 2025, in Barry, Illinois. She was a lifelong resident of the Perry area and was born June 19, 1926, to Guy and Marie (Mullins) Webel on the family farm north of Perry, where she was raised.

Roberta was a 1944 graduate of Perry High School and, at the time of her passing, was the oldest living graduate of PHS. On October 28, 1945, she married Charles Robert Rhoades at the Webel family home north of Perry, and he preceded her in death in 2008.

Roberta and Charles had a grain and livestock farm west of Perry in the Fishhook area from 1945 until their retirement in 1990, when they moved to Perry. As part of their farming operation, they raised breeding stock, beef cattle and hogs, and Roberta was known for her expertise in livestock breeding. In the 1970’s, she became the first woman to serve on the loan advisory committee of the Pittsfield office of the USDA Production Credit Association.

Roberta loved animals (especially dogs), was an avid reader, liked to play cards, and attended the Perry United Methodist Church for many years. She was an accomplished gardener and she and Charles were known for the beautiful flowers, plants, and trees surrounding their Perry house.

She is survived by her four children, Gregory Rhoades, Philip Rhoades, Becky Phillips (Lloyd), and Matthew Rhoades (Luis Gomez); two grandchildren, Brandon Phillips and Amber Cook (Scott); and three great-granddaughters, Rachel Phillps, Grace Cook, and Scarlett Cook. She is also survived by five nieces, Linda Jazynka, Susan Ator, Sally Sharp, Nancy Miosi, and Denise Benson; three nephews, Patrick Riley, Kerry Riley, and Douglas Heineman; and numerous grandnieces and grandnephews.

In addition to her husband and parents, Roberta was preceded in death by her three sisters and their husbands, Marjorie Riley (Jack), Marilyn Shelden (Robert), and Annette Heineman; and a niece, Colleen Riley Martin.

Funeral Service will be held 11:00 AM, Friday, March 28, 2025, at Niebur Funeral Home in Pittsfield, IL with visitation held prior to the service from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at the funeral home. Interment will follow the service at Wilson Cemetery in Perry, IL. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations are suggested to be made to Perry Wilson Cemetery. Online condolences may be left to the family at www.nieburfh.com. Niebur Funeral Home in Pittsfield is handling the arrangements.

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