Myra Gail Rhodes, 78, died Tuesday, October 27, 2026, of natural causes.
Services will be at 3 PM Sunday, November 1st, at Blount Funeral Home, Maryville Tennessee. Visitation will begin at 1:30 PM.
Ms. Rhodes was born October 20, 1948, in Nashville Tennessee, the daughter of Byno and Mildred Rhodes. She began school in Harrogate, Tennessee and moved with her family to Richmond Kentucky in 1958.
She graduated from Model Laboratory School on the Eastern Kentucky University campus in 1966. She then attended EKU and received a bachelor's degree in English in 1970.
Having always considered herself a Tennessean, she then attended the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, obtaining a Master's degree in English. Having no desire to leave "home," she taught for two years in Louisville, Tennessee, then at Maryville High School until her retirement in 2004. While there, she delighted in directing the school play for a number of years.
Gail, like her teaching father before her, was considered "hard but fair." She maintained relationships with students for decades after their graduation.
Gail was a devout Christian and an active lifelong member of the church of Christ, first in Richmond, then Laurel Avenue in Knoxville and most recently at Maryville.
Gail loved her dogs, reading, history, flower gardening, cooking, and was a self-taught expert dressmaker. She was extremely proud of Maryville, the Smoky Mountains and Tennessee as a whole; a one person Chamber of Commerce. She shopped year-round and wrapped presents for each sibling, niece, nephew, in-law and grand niece or nephew, and was always up for another Hallmark Christmas movie. Gail was a long time volunteer at Blount Memorial Hospital.
Gail is survived by her "girls," Nicki and Jeannie, an adoring family comprised of her sister, Karen Glass of Louisville, Kentucky, her brother Bill (Patty) Rhodes of Lexington Kentucky, eight nieces and nephews and nineteen great nieces and great nephews. She was predeceased by her parents and her brother, Byno R. Rhodes II.
Condolences may be expressed at
https://www.blountfuneralandcremation.com/
