Clarence “Larry” W. Rhoda, Jr.
Larry, a native of Pennsylvania, born on July 19th, 1927, was a resident of the Philadelphia area until he retired on January 1st, 2000 and moved to Pine Island, Florida. He graduated from Central High School in Philadelphia, in 1945 was commissioned as an Infantry 2d Lieutenant at Ft. Benning, Georgia in 1946, subsequently serving in the Army of Occupation in Japan as a member of the 24th Infantry Division until the end of 1947 when he became a member of the Active Army Reserve. He served for many years as a small unit commander and as a staff officer of the 79th Infantry Division, the 9th Cavalry Regiment and the 157th Infantry Brigade. In 1974 he was awarded the Army Commendation Medal for his performance as an instructor in the Command and General Staff Department of the Philadelphia Army Reserve School. He retired in 1975 as a Lieutenant Colonel.
Larry’s civilian career included ten years of service as the mathematics Chairman at Chestnut Hill Academy, employment with Ford Motor Co., UNIVAC, and Sun Oil Company (SUNOCO). He was an active member and officer in numerous professional and service organizations including The Association for Computing Machinery, The Association of Teachers of Mathematics and The Reserve Officers Association.
In the early nineteen seventies, in Philadelphia, Larry was one of the founding members of the Delaware Valley Computer Education Committee at the University of Pennsylvania, a non-profit corporation to assist schools in teaching computer subjects and to develop an interest in computer careers. As a member of that committee he assisted in developing a tuition free, week-end, computer operator training and job placement program for disadvantaged inner city high school students, that was enthusiastically supported by Philadelphia’s Mayor Rizzo, and by the United States Department of Health, Education and Welfare.
He was also an instructor in the science workshop program at The Benjamin Franklin Institute in Philadelphia and in 1970 served as the Chairman of Judges for the regional Delaware Valley Science Fair, co-sponsored by the Franklin Institute and the Philadelphia Inquirer. In 1987 he became an independent consultant in manufacturing production control, and worked in that capacity until January 1, 2000 when he retired and moved to Florida.
In retirement he served as a Commissioner of the Matlacha-Pine Island Fire Control District and as a Pine Island Food Pantry volunteer. In retirement he continued to pursue his lifelong love of the outdoors by fishing in Florida and by climbing some of the highest peaks of both the Appalachian and Rocky Mountain ranges.
Larry was a graduate of The University of Pennsylvania; The University of Chicago; The U. S. Army Command and General Staff College and The Industrial College of the Armed Forces.
His wife, the former Nancy J. Koontz, of Philadelphia died in 2001, they were married for 48 years. He is survived by their four children: June Rhoda, David Rhoda, Mary Mabry and Meg Rohtla, nine grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren. He is survived by his second wife, Patricia C. Hodgin.
Larry’s remains will be placed in the Washington Crossing National Cemetery in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.nationalcremation.com for the Rhoda family. A memorial service will be held Sunday, May 22nd, 11:30 am in the Chapel at Cypress Cove in Edison Hall, 10200 Cypress Cove Dr, Ft Myers