Ryan C. Rhodes, 45, of Rochester, Minn., died unexpectedly at his home on July 8, 2020, of natural causes. Ryan was born on March 1, 1975, to Jon and Carol Rhodes of Harmony, Minn. Ryan attended school in Harmony until 1992 when his parents were hired to teach at St. Mary’s International School in Tokyo, Japan. Ryan graduated from St. Mary’s in 1993. He was a member of the concert band, the jazz band and also on the wrestling team. While wrestling for St. Mary’s, he became a Far East wrestling champion.
After graduating, Ryan went to Winona State University where he majored in Mass Media – Journalism. While in college, he wrote for the Winona Daily News, and after graduating worked for the Stewartville Star, IBM, the Mayo Clinic, and on to freelance writing. He married Melissa Whited in 2008, and they were divorced in 2016. They had two children, Aiden and Zoey.
Ryan will be remembered for his energetic spirit, his liveliness, and his writing skills, plus his wit, sense of humor and his deep love for his children and interacting with them.
Ryan is survived by a son, Aiden (10), a daughter, Zoey (9), and his parents Jon and Carol Rhodes. He was preceded in death by his maternal and paternal grandparents, infant son Finn, and an older brother, Reg.
An informal Celebration of Life will be held on Sunday, August 9, 2-4 p.m. at Bear Creek Park, 1237 Marion Road SE, Rochester, Minn. Please bring lawn chairs . Anyone who knew Ryan is welcome to come and celebrate his life with family and friends.
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