Janice Haden Rhoads, 80
Funeral services for Janice Marie Haden Rhoads, 80, of Kansas City, were held Dec. 28, 2021, at Newcomer’s Floral Hills Funeral Home in Raytown with Pastor Jerry Applegate officiating. Mrs. Rhoads died quietly in her home on Dec. 10.
She was born Oct. 23, 1941, in Smallett in Douglas County, the youngest child of the Rev. Larkin Haden and his wife, Ozark County native Velma Martin Haden. She grew up in the country and attended the one-room Silver Shade school until she was a young teenager. Her family then moved to West Plains, where she graduated from high school and made many friends.
She became a Christian at a young age and proclaimed her love and faith in Jesus to anyone who would listen. Janice was brought up in a Christian home, and her parents were very involved with the church. Her father was a General Baptist minister and while living in West Plains, he also pastored a small country church in Heart, Arkansas. It was there, under a walnut tree where the young people hung out on a Sunday after church, that she met her best friend and the love of her life, Bobby Joe Rhoads. They were married at that little country church on July 4, 1959.
After they were married, they moved to Springfield, where Janice graduated from what is now Missouri State University with a degree in education. In 1962, she accepted a teaching job in Raytown, so she and Bob moved to Kansas City. By 1963, Bob had a job at the post office and soon after, Janice began working for the IRS.
Church was a big part of their life, during their time in Kansas City they attended Cleveland Avenue Baptist (which later became Lane Avenue Baptist Church) and Grandview Assembly of God Church. By the early 1990s, they were attending both churches every Sunday. They loved both church families and made many lifelong friendships.
In 1967, Janice was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, which changed her life. She was already a hard worker and a real go-getter, but suffering with RA took it to another level. She became determined and did her best to not let it get her down and take over her life. She was very independent, would never give up and became an inspiration to many by the way she lived her life.
By the early 1980s, she could no longer work at the IRS, but she continued to help others in need and began getting clothes and supplies to families that needed help. She was a very giving soul. She became a pro with coupons and rebates and was nicknamed the Coupon Lady. By 1985, she was a grandma and became a full-time babysitter – with help from Bob after he retired at the end of 1992.
She treated her grandkids like gold but always insisted that they work on something. When they were very young, she regularly made them write their letters or read to her. She was determined for them to learn something while they were with her, and she became an inspiration and great example to all of them. She had an incredible knack for remembering everyone’s birthday and anniversary, so she loved to write letters and send cards and sometimes a little money to everyone she remembered. She also loved to play Scrabble, and she and her good friends, Mary, Faye and Thelma played every Thursday night for years.
Severe RA limited what she could do, but she never complained and was grateful for everything she could continue to do on her own. She loved when her friends and family came to see her. She became progressively more crippled, but always said, “Jesus will help me do it.” In her final year of life, she was completely bedridden and helpless but continued to be so sweet and tell everyone how much she loved them. She was determined to make it to her 80th birthday, and this past October, she made it. She enjoyed that celebration tremendously.
She will be greatly missed by her family and friends, but they know with faith they will see her again one day in heaven.
She is survived by her daughter, Tonja Coleman and husband John of Kingsville; her son, Randy Rhoads of Kansas City; grandchildren Dustin Rainwater, and wife Kaylin of Belton, Ashley Boyles and husband Matt of San Tan Valley, Arizona, Joelle Coleman and boyfriend Kyle Beck, Jessica Coleman and Hunter Morgan, all of Kansas City, Dakota Morgan of North Hollywood, California; great-grandchildren Hayden Rainwater, Alexis and Darius Dunham, Aria and Wyatt Boyes and Adryan Williams; her brother, Robert Haden of Springfield; sister Betty Fouts of Nixa; sisters-in-law Lodema Bent of Gainesville and Loretta Rhoads of Russellville, Arkansas; brothers-in-law Troy Rhoads of Little Rock, Arkansas, and Joe Goodson, Rogers, Arkansas; special cousins Norma Sue Whittington of Ozark, and Kay Jacoby of Bolivar; her best friend, Peggy Shipley; and many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
She was proceeded in death by Bob, her husband of 45 years, who died in June 2004; her parents; her brother, Harold Haden; grandson Nick Dunham; nephew Paul Haden; in-laws Lonnie and Willie Rhoads; many brothers- and sisters-in-law; and her precious aunts and uncles.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Lane Avenue Baptist Church.
Newcomer’s Floral Hills Funeral Home, Raytown, directors.