Obituary of Frank Rhoades

Frank Rhoades passed away on Tuesday, July 8, 2014 in Texarkana, TX after a lengthy illness. He was born in Kaufman, TX on April 2, 1934, the son of Fred and Mildred Wright Rhoades. Frank married Gail Williams in 1968 building a wonderful life together for 46 years. Frank was a Gold Card member of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. He was inducted in to the Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame in 2001. Frank was also a member of the Rodeo Cowboy Alumni and the Rodeo Historical Society. He began his rodeo career at an early age. Riding bulls and bareback horses at Madison Square Garden in New York at the age of 17. Frank qualified for the first National Finals Rodeo held in Dallas, TX in 1959 and was the first rider on the first head out of the chute. He later began clowning and became a barrelman. He performed specialty acts such as his roman chariot race with his fellow clown and friend, Rick Young. Frank performed in rodeo's all over the United States, Canada, Cuba and Mexico. He was a member of a group who went to Colima, Mexico on a goodwill tour for the University of Oklahoma in 1970. He was chosen as barrelman for the National Finals Rodeo in 1969, 1971 and 1977. He is the only person to ride bareback horses and later serve as clown and barrelman at the NFR. Frank was inducted into the US Army in 1956 but received a honorable medical discharge caused by a critical injury from a bull he rode at Burwell, NE. He retired from rodeo in 1979 and owned and operated a convenience store in Deport, TX. In 1993 he and his wife, Gail established The Lonesome Dove Restaurant in Deport, TX where he became widely known for his barbeque pork ribs, steaks and fish. Frank moved to Idabel, OK in 2001. He was an active member of the Redland United Methodist Church. Frank was a hard working family man and loved spending time with his grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; an infant daughter; a sister, Betty and a brother, Jerry Lynn. Frank is survived by his wife, Gail Rhoades of the home; sons and daughters-in-law, Wes and Sheila Rhoades of Idabel, OK and Rickey and Cherie Rhoades of the Mt. Herman Community; a daughter, Robyn Axton of Broken Bow, OK; brothers, Mack, Rickey Don, Gerald, Doug and Durwood; sisters, Lana, Billie, Sue, Judy and Rhonda all of the Dallas area; 8 grandchildren; numerous great-grandchildren; several nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends. Frank will be greatly missed by his family, friends and especially his Red River Choctaw Plaza Coffee drinking buddies. Services will be held at 2:00 pm on Sunday, July 13, 2014 at the Redland United Methodist Church with Donnie Gay and Rev. Tim Trujillo officiating. Interment will follow at the Redland Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm on Friday, July 11, 2014 at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers the family requests memorials be made to the Redland United Methodist Church.