Kim Diane Rhodes

Born July 5, 1954, to Charles Jr and Colleen McMurray in Columbus, Ohio. The Lord decided that she had fought long enough after 20 years on a journey with breast cancer. She became an angel on March 12, 2022, in New York City. Kim graduated from Bishop Hartley High School in 1972 and Defiance College in 1976 where she received a degree in education. She also studied education at The Ohio State University. Kim began her professional career as a classroom teacher in 1976 in Bedford, Ohio. She returned to Columbus where she taught first at Windemere Elementary, then Jones Middle School in Upper Arlington until her retirement in 2006. She was a guest teacher at Columbus School for Girls from 2008 to 2011, a full-time substitute teacher at Bishop Hartley High School from 2011 to 2013 and at Bexley High School until 2018. Kim loved teaching American History. She was well known for introducing minority issues to her students who had never had a teacher of color before. In her own words “I always taught my students history through the eyes of a woman, person of color and knowledge but most of all by example. I wanted to also show how people should be treated and respected in our ever-changing society.” Kim continued to teach through her almost daily offerings on Facebook. There she stayed connected with many of her students and from that communication method there have been hundreds of kind and joyful expressions from former students. Many who say she was the best teacher they ever had. Kim was a passionate daughter, sister, wife, mother, aunt, niece, cousin, friend, teacher. She loved hard. You always knew she was in your corner. She was stylish, bold, sassy, vibrant and always spoke her mind. She impacted so many lives. Kim was preceded in death by her father, Charles McMurray Jr, grandparents, Emerson and Viola Clemens, Charles and Herticina McMurray and father-in-law, Billie Rhodes. She leaves to mourn her loving memory, husband, Warren Rhodes, her precious daughters, Mariah and Mallory Rhodes, mother, Colleen McMurray, brother, Mark (Audra) McMurray, brother, Trent McMurray, nephew, Kyle McMurray, mother-in-law, Shirley Rhodes, sister-in-law, Linda Wilson, niece, Rebecca Wilson Juma, nephew, William Wilson, several aunts and many cousins and friends. Calling hours will be Monday, March 21 from 4-8 pm at SCHOEDINGER EAST FUNERAL HOME, 5360 E Livingston Ave, Columbus, Ohio 43232. The funeral service will be Tuesday, March 22 at 11:00 AM at St Philips Episcopal Church, 166 Woodland Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43203 with burial following at Forest Lawn Memorial Gardens. There will be calling hours beginning at 10:00 AM until the time of the service at the church.