Sandra Rhodes

BOW, NH--Sandra Rae (Palmer) Rhodes, passed away on Saturday, January 29, 2022 after a year’s long struggle with Alzheimer’s disease. She was raised in Concord and Manchester, NH and after marriage spent the majority of her life in Bow, NH.

Sandra was born on October 15, 1939 in Concord, NH to Wendell K. Palmer, Sr. and Dorothy (Emerson) Palmer. She attended Walker School until her father’s work with the B&M Railroad sent her family to Manchester. She always considered herself to be a “Concord” girl and rode the train from Manchester to Concord as often as possible to spend weekends with her grandparents and favorite Aunt Tressie (Palmer) Garrison.

Sandra graduated from Manchester Central High School with the class of 1957 and graduated from the Concord Hospital School of Nursing with the class of 1960.

Sandra worked as a pediatric nurse at Concord Hospital then worked at NH State Hospital where she met and then married Norman Rhodes, Sr. During a break from nursing to raise her sons, she worked periodically as a school nurse, a private nurse and visiting nurse. When her youngest boys entered school, she returned to full time nursing at Concord Urology until her retirement.

Sandra belonged to many organizations including the Girl Scouts, Bow Women’s Club, Mothers of Twins Club, Bow Pioneers Snowmobile Club, Bow Young-at-Heart Club, USAF Academy Parents Association, and Bow Mills UMC Women’s group.

Sandra enjoyed working in her flower gardens and doing various crafts including painting ceramics, cut-and-pierce lampshades, painting and stenciling on household objects, and ran a craft shop in Bow with her dear friend Barbara Spurr.

She was always a generous and welcoming host for the many family reunions and pool parties held at her home in Bow, and the annual grandchildren gingerbread house party. She also enjoyed attending as many as possible of her children’s and grandchildren’s sports and scouting events, recitals, graduations and always had a full candy drawer in her kitchen for her grandchildren.

Sandra is survived by her sister, Donna Morse and her husband, Don of Hooksett, and her brother Wendell K. Palmer, Jr and his wife, Carol of Cocoa Beach, FL, by her step-daughters, Frani Sinder of Wasilla, AK, Donna Delgado and her husband, Paul of Laconia, NH, Lori Roy and her husband, Leo of Goffstown, NH, and by her five sons, Matthew Rhodes of Concord, Steven Rhodes and his wife Alison, of Concord, Norman (Chip) Rhodes Jr. and his wife, Mui-Hiang of Austin, TX, Peter Rhodes and his wife, Mia of Forest Grove, OR, and Paul Rhodes and his wife Shannon, of Bow, NH. She is also survived by 17 grandchildren, 1 great-grandchild and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. Sandra was predeceased by her husband, Norman E. Rhodes, Sr., her mother, Dorothy (Emerson) Palmer, her father, Wendell Keniston Palmer, Sr. and her sister, Wendy (Palmer) Platek.

A Private family service will be held.

Calling Hours for friends and colleagues will be held from 2:00pm – 4:00pm on Sunday, February 13, 2022 at Bennett Funeral Home, 209 North Main Street, Concord, NH 03301.

A Private Burial will be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Sandra’s name to the NH Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, 166 S River Rd, Bedford, NH 03110, or to Granite VNA, 30 Pillsbury St, Concord, NH 03301.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Bennett Funeral Home of Concord, NH. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.bennettfuneral.com