Rhoda Carey

Rhoda Mae Carey (Fenn), a Yakima resident, passed away on Tuesday, May 26, 2020, at Virginia Mason Memorial Hospital. Rhoda was born in Lewiston, ID on January 14, 1926, to Keith and Mina Fenn (Decker). She had an older sister, Mary Edwards, and a younger brother, Steve Fenn. Rhoda lived her youthful years in Grangeville, ID and attended public school there through 8th grade. She attended Lewiston High School for grades 9-11, after her family moved there for her father’s work. During World War II, Rhoda’s father was hired by the Bremerton Naval Yard as a builder. Rhoda completed her senior year at Bremerton High School and graduated with the Class of 1943. Following high school, Rhoda attended the Cinderella Beauty School in Bremerton, and in 1946 received her Washington state license as a Beauty Parlor Operator to practice hairdressing. It was at beauty school that she befriended Isabelle Carey, and the two became lifelong friends. Isabelle introduced Rhoda to her son Jim, who had recently been discharged from the U.S. Navy following the conclusion of World War II. Rhoda and Jim were married in Grangeville, ID on November 3, 1946, at the First Christian Church. They started their life together in Yakima, but after a few years moved to the Central Basin area. They returned to Yakima in 1954. Rhoda was a devoted homemaker and a terrific mother. After her children were in their teenage years, she began working outside the home at Sears Roebuck & Company. She retired from Sears after 20 years of service. She then helped care for her two grandchildren, worked part-time for Sullivan’s Drycleaners and cleaned friends’ homes part-time. After fifteen years, when Sullivan’s sold, Rhoda went to work part-time at Living Care Retirement Community as a dinner server. She loved the social interaction and became friends with co-workers and “customers” in all of her endeavors. She finally retired for good, at the age of 89, just shy of her 90th birthday. Rhoda loved her family and doted over her grandchildren. She cherished their time together and was a strong supporter in anything they pursued. She was very excited that she lived to know her great grandchildren and loved the job of grandma and great-grandma more than anything else. As those who knew her can attest, she made friends easily and continued to stay in touch with many of them to the very end. She was a prolific letter writer, fitness fanatic, expert dessert baker (somehow managing to eat only one or two of whatever she was baking), bird and animal lover, gardener and a lifetime student of the Bible. Rhoda had unwavering faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and trusted Him to guide her path throughout her entire life. She spent many hours volunteering for the Union Gospel Mission and the Memorial Bible Church (MBC) of which she was a member for several years. Rhoda rarely missed a service or bible study and tithed faithfully. MBC was her social world. She had a fantastic group of friends from church and was a member of the SAMERS club. The family would like to give a sincere thank you, with deep appreciation, to Flo and Ray Hinton, Muriel and Harvey Forster, Janice and Sheryl Vilhauer, and to Rhoda’s extended families, the Hinckleys, Schields, Orgills, and Leona Kearney for all that you did for her and the special companionship and comfort you provided. Rhoda was preceded in death, by her parents, sister, brother and husband. She is survived by her daughter Maureen, son Mike, and his wife Sabrena, grandson Chad, granddaughter Haley, her husband Michael Bros and great-grandchildren Asher and Saylor Bros. Also surviving Rhoda are nephews Denny (Chris Reid), Doug (Natalie) and Rick (Betty Tester) Granstrand, Roy Fenn, and nieces Sue (Warren) Terrell, Carol (Doug) Hatten, Jeanette Buystedt (Fenn) and step-neice Judy McArthur. There will be a public viewing at Valley Hills Funeral Home, 2600 Business Lane, Yakima, on Friday, June 12th from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. A memorial service for Rhoda, will follow at a later date, once large gatherings are deemed safe. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Rhoda Carey, please visit our flower store.