Jeani Rhoades

Jeani Rhoades, 71, of North Platte, passed away peacefully at home on Friday, December 6, 2019.

Jeani was born September 10, 1948, in Oberlin, Kansas, to Leonard and Alice Brown. She was welcomed home by her big brother, Dennis, who was 4 years old. The family lived on the farm and the kids attended Plainview Country School until they moved into town with their mom. Jeani went on to graduate from Decatur Community High School in 1966 then attended Airline Training School.

In 1969 Jeani married Jim Rogers in Oberlin. They lived in Selden, Kansas and had two beautiful daughters, Michelle and Shawna. Jeani loved her girls and helping others, which she did as an EMT. She and the girls eventually moved to Nebraska where they lived in Thedford. Jeani continued her schooling and received her LPN from North Platte Community College and her RN from Colby Community College. She worked as a nurse at Great Plains Medical Center for many years then obtained her real estate license and worked as a Realtor for Gateway Realty.

She was a member of Episcopal Church of Our Savior and was a talented artist who painted lovely landscape pictures and carved wonderful wooden figures. Jeani loved the outdoors and gardening as well as her dogs and family.

She leaves her family with memories of many wonderful years and fun times together. Jeani’s family includes her daughters, Michelle (Todd) Gutschenritter and Shawna (Johnny) Naranjo, all of North Platte, and Diane (Pete) Francis, of Mechanicsville, Virginia; grandchildren, Jakob ‘Jake’ and Regan Gutschenritter, Kendal and Levi Naranjo, and Craig, Elizabeth, Brenna and Jeffrey Francis; her sister, Charlotte (Carl) Neff, of Norton, Kansas; nieces and nephews, Sherri Neff, Vicki (Ronald) Fischer and Robert ‘Bob’ Neff; Uncle Barton (Helen) Bobbitt, of Loveland, Colorado, and their family, Ken, Rick (Linda) and Mike (Dawn) Bobbitt; close cousin, Stuart McGowne, of Junction City, Kansas; special friends, Mary and Tim Axthelm, Barb Booth and Chrysanne Bailey, and their families; and many other family members and friends.

Jeani was preceded in death by her father, Leonard Brown; mom and dad, Alice and Max Bobbitt; brother, Dennis Brown; grandparents, Phillip and Laura Hackney and Ray and Edith Bobbitt; as well as many aunts, uncles, cousins and her dogs.

Cremation was chosen. Memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, December 14, 2019, at Odean Colonial Chapel at C & Sycamore with Pastor Mary Hendrick officiating. Jeani’s cremains will then be placed in the Columbarium in the Resurrection Atrium at Episcopal Church of Our Savior. In lieu of flowers, memorials are to the Callahan Cancer Center. The memorial book may be signed at odeanchapel.com or from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday at Odean Colonial Chapel at C & Sycamore, which is in charge of arrangements.