Colleen Rhodes

Colleen "Coke" Marie Rhodes, 86, of Atlantic, Iowa, passed away Tuesday, January 17, 2017, at her home in Atlantic.

She was born June 8, 1930, in Atlantic, Iowa, the daughter of Rollie and Anne (Michaelson) Hoffman. Colleen lived in Atlantic her entire life attending school there and graduating from the Atlantic High School with the class of 1948. On December 28, 1952, she was united in marriage to Robert L. Rhodes in Atlantic. Colleen was a member of the First United Presbyterian Church in Atlantic, of which she was a life-long member. Colleen was also a past member of the Elks Lodge and a Doe in Atlantic

Colleen was employed for many years at the telephone company, Geis Perry Jewelry and Anthony's department store in Atlantic. She always enjoyed her church and her church family and she had a very strong faith in God. Colleen enjoyed sitting outside and just watching and listening to nature. As her sight began to fail her, she enjoyed the many conversations she had with family and friends. Colleen had a great spirit, was strong willed, spunky, and a fighter as she overcame many obstacles life put in front of her, yet was not afraid to speak her mind in a very loving and caring way. Her greatest love was that of her children, her son-in-law, her grandchildren and all of her family.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Rhodes; her parents, Rollie and Anne Hoffman; her son, Rodney Rhodes; and her sister, Pat Loewenstein.

Colleen is survived by her daughter, Jocelyn (Michael) Balch; her grandchildren, Nicole (Randy) Rhodes, Brooke (Bryan) Rhodes, Amber (David) Rhodes and Jason Humphrey; step-grandchildren, Stephanie (Jason) Holley, Melissa Balch and Shane Balch; her great-grandchildren, Ryder Burk, Matalynn Harter and Wyatt Williams; her step-great-grandchildren, Corbin, R.J. and Mason Laudermilk; her sister, Barb Drake; her brother-in-law, Dusty Rhodes; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

In lieu of flowers, the family prefers memorials to the First United Presbyterian Church in Atlantic or Colleen's family to use per her wishes at a later date.

A memorial service will be held at 3:00 p.m., Saturday, January 21, 2017, at the First United Presbyterian Church in Atlantic, Iowa. Visitation will take place during the luncheon at the church after the memorial service. A private interment of cremains will take place in the Atlantic Cemetery at a later date.