Jacob L. Rhodes

Jacob was the husband of Ruth E. Basehore Rhodes for more than 50 years until her death on July 27, 2010. He was born January 13, 1922 in Linville, VA, son of the late Jacob L. Rhodes and Agnes Hosaflook Rhodes. His family moved to Lebanon in 1926, and he lived most of his life in Lebanon County. As a member of St. Mark Lutheran Church in Annville, Jacob served at various times as teacher, member and president of the Congregation Council, and on many committees, most recently on the Extended Ministry Committee. Jacob graduated from Lebanon High School in 1939 and received a baccalaureate degree from Lebanon Valley College in 1943 with majors in mathematics and physics. From 1943 through 1946 he was a research physicist at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, working on World War II projects sponsored by the US Office of Scientific Research and Development. In 1946 Jacob began graduate study in the physics department of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. He served as chairman of the physics department of Roanoke College in Salem, VA from 1952 – 1956. He then returned to the University of Pennsylvania as Research Fellow in 1956, and received his Ph.D. in nuclear physics the following year. Jacob was appointed chairman of the physics department at Lebanon Valley College in 1957, a position he held until retirement in 1985 when he was given the title of Professor Emeritus. He continued teaching physics at LVC as Senior Professor of Physics until 1992. He served three terms as faculty representative on the LVC Board of Trustees. In April 2014 Jacob participated in the Physics Department’s 100th anniversary celebration. For ten years he taught graduate courses in Temple University’s General Education Program for Teachers at its branch campuses in Allentown, Reading, Lancaster, and Harrisburg as well as on the main campus in Philadelphia. During various summers Jacob did graduate study at Yale, University of Rochester, and Oak Ridge Institute of Nuclear Studies. In his retirement years Jacob served as a volunteer for Annville Free Library, Meals on Wheels, Lancaster-Lebanon Literacy Council, and Spang Crest Manor. He was a member of the American Physical Society, as well as the American Association of Physics Teachers, for which he served terms as Secretary-Treasurer, Vice-President, and President of the Central Pennsylvania Section. Surviving are three daughters and one son: Andrea and her husband Timothy Salem of Wernersville, PA; Marcia and her husband Steven Garcia of Camarillo, CA; Carol and her husband Dax Norman of Lewes, DE; William Rhodes and his wife Stephanie of Newark, DE; a granddaughter Victoria Ruth Norman and a grandson Jacob Thomas Rhodes; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by three brothers, R. Earl, Russell A., and William L. Rhodes, and by four sisters, Nina Rhodes, Velva Steffy, Fleta Basehore, and Catherine Reich. A memorial service will be held at St. Mark Lutheran Church, 200 E. Main St., Annville, 17003 at 11:00 am on Saturday May 20, with visitation preceding the service from 9-11am. Inurnment will follow at Covenant Greenwood Ebenezer Cemetery. Kreamer Funeral Home and Crematory, Annville has been entrusted with arrangements. In lieu of flowers, Jake requested that memorial contributions be made to the Extended Ministry Fund, St. Mark Lutheran Church, or to the Rhodes & O’Donnell Physics Research Fund, Lebanon Valley College, 101 N. College Ave., Annville, PA 17003.

Jacob L. Rhodes

January 13, 1922 - July 27, 2010