Carl M. Rhodes, 73
Carl M. Rhodes, 73, passed away on Friday, June 26, 2009, at Brendan House in Kalispell. He was born on May 7, 1936, in Kalispell, the son of Joseph A. and Augusta M. (Hemmer) Rhodes. Carl lived in Rhodes Draw all of his life where his grandfather John homesteaded in 1901, and then started the Rhodes Sawmill in the early 1900s.
Carl worked for the Forest Service at Schafer Meadows for the summer of 1954. In 1955 his grandfather helped him buy and set up his own sawmill and Carl ran that same mill for the next 50 years. Carl always cut Christmas trees in the fall and for many years he would take a load of trees over to the Shelby area and deliver orders for different businesses.
On July 16, 1960, Carl married Florence Schwenke in Columbia Falls. They operated an outfitters camp on the Harrison Creek next to the Meadow Creek airfield that same year. In 1964 Carl again went to work for the Forest Service rebuilding the trails in the Bob Marshall that had been washed out by the big June flood.
In 1965, Carl started packing for an outfitter in the Bob Marshall for the fall hunting season. He packed for several seasons and had lots of fun. Carl always went back to running the mill and started custom sawmilling in the '70s and was very proud of the lumber he cut with very accurate dimensions.
Carl loved to hunt and fish and could find elk when no one else could. His fudge was a family favorite. Carl's many brothers and sisters-in-law looked up to him as a big brother and thought he was pretty OK. He taught the boys gun safety and took them hunting and fishing and teased the girls. He will be greatly loved and missed.
He was a member of the Seventh Day Adventist Church.
Carl was preceded in death by parents, Joe and Augusta "Gussy"; two brothers, Clarence and Andrew Rhodes; and a niece, Susan Barfoot.
Carl is survived by his wife, Florence Rhodes, of Kalispell; two daughters, Judy Karboski and husband, Rick, and their two sons, and Wendy Field and husband, Warren, and their daughter; two nephews, Dale Rhodes and Gary Rhodes, both of Kalispell; and many other nieces and nephews and cousins.
A memorial service for Carl will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, July 5, at the Stillwater Grange, 1810 W. Reserve, in Kalispell. Interment will be held at the Spring Creek Cemetery in Kalispell at a later date.
Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home and Crematory is caring for Carl's family. You are invited to go to www.jgfuneralhome.com to offer condolences and sign Carl's guest book.