Nelva Rhodes

Nelva "Nell" McFadden Rhodes, 86, of Timpson, Texas passed away on May 5, 2017 in Timpson surrounded by her dear family. She was born on February 17, 1931 in the Yarnell Community, Panola County to the late Beatrice McFadden and Zoie Mae Taylor McFadden. Visitation will be held Saturday May 6, 2017 at Taylor Funeral Home, from 5 to 7 PM. Funeral service will be held Monday May 8, 2017 at 10AM at Timpson Missionary Baptist Church, Hwy 59N, Timpson, Texas with Bro. John Raines, Bro. Michael Raines, and Bro. Levi Cohorst officiating. Interment will follow at Timpson Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery, Timpson, Texas. The family requests silk flower arrangements or in lieu of flowers, memorial donations to be made to the Timpson Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery, P.O. Box 503, Timpson, Texas, 75975.

Nell was raised in the Yarnell Community where she attended Yarnell Community School before transferring to Garrison in high school. Her family moved to Shepherd when she was a teen and then later to New Caney. Her years spent in New Caney were part of God's beautiful plan for her life. She met her future husband, Elvis Rhodes, who was working in New Caney as well. On February 21, 1948, the two were joined in marriage. Elvis later began working for Gulf Oil as a welder and he and Nell moved to Mooringsport, Louisiana. They eventually decided to start a family which brought them home to Timpson near Elvis' parents. They built their home together where they brought their daughters, Judy and Kay into the world, watched their grandchildren and great-grandchildren play and where they remained faithfully by one another's side until Elvis passed in 1999.

Nell lived a life dedicated to the Lord. She joined Timpson Missionary Baptist Church in the late 1950's while they still met under a tent located on the right side of where the fellowship hall building is currently. At a young age, she became actively involved with her church family and continued that service until a few months prior to her passing. She began teaching what was known as the "Card Class," which was the little children ages five and below. As the church grew, she moved from teaching the Card Class to the Young People's class where she remained for many years. After the first phase of the new church was built, Nell started teaching the older ladies class and taught them a total of 18 years. At one time, there were 42 ladies in her class. Timpson Missionary Baptist Church held a huge and special place in Nell's heart. In her many years as a dedicated servant there, she also watched her husband, her children, and all of her grandchildren come to know Christ as their personal Savior. Timpson MBC is not just a church, it is her family.

Nell was well-known across the entire area for her exquisite cooking. If she was not reading her Bible and talking with her Heavenly Father, the next place you would look for Nell was in the kitchen. Nothing compared to her chicken and dumplings, peach cobbler, and her mouth watering homemade rolls! Nell spent twenty four years of her life in the kitchen at Timpson ISD sharing her divine, homemade dishes with students, staff and teachers. Anyone who went through the cafeteria line during those 24 years still tell stories today of how delicious Mrs. Rhodes' cooking was. After she retired, Nell spent many hours quilting and visiting with her friends at the RSVP in Timpson. More than anything, she treasured each and every moment spent with her family. "Bubba," as her grandchildren referred to her, was the matriarch of their entire family. Her home was the gathering place for holidays, birthdays, and just to sit and talk. So many beautiful memories were within those walls and on those dirt roads around her home. Nell's love poured out onto everyone who knew her. She was the epitome of a "servant's heart." No matter the need or the time of day, Nell was always the first to reach out and help. Her presence and her love will be genuinely missed.

Nell is survived by her daughters, Judy Raines and husband, Buck and Kay Whitton and husband, Cecil; grandchildren, John Elvis Raines and wife, Angela, Andy Raines and wife, Rachel, Michael Raines and wife, Rachel, Marc Raines, Josh Whitton and wife, Angela, and Zoie Whitton; great-grandchildren, Sheldon and Ashton Raines, Jesse, Sadie, Luke, and Sara Kate Raines, Reagan Raines, Wyatt, Aiden, and Emma Whitton, and soon-to-be-born Andrew Reese Raines.

She is preceded in death by her beloved husband, her parents, brothers, Leonard McFadden, Clovis McFadden, and Sam McFadden and one sister, Reba Guillory.

Pallbearers are John Elvis Raines, Josh Whitton, Andy Raines, Marc Raines, Michael Raines, Sheldon Raines, and Zoie Whitton. Honorary Pallbearers are Wyatt Whitton, Aiden Whitton, Jesse Raines, and Luke Raines.