Samuel L. Rhone

People who didn’t know Samuel Lamar Rhone often thought he was famous. “Is he a movie star? A basketball player? A singer?” they would ask. But behind the magnetic personality and broad smile was a modest man who helped guide his loved ones with purposeful direction. "Sam" Rhone, 87, died on October 14, 2020, at Mount Carmel East Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, after suffering a subdural hematoma. Born to Katie, a homemaker, and Edward Rhone, a farmer and bank custodian, in 1933 during the Great Depression, Sam would ultimately leave his birth home in Jackson, Mississippi, migrating north to Chicago with so many others in search of better opportunities. As one of six children, Sam had an early introduction to the importance of responsibility. His late sister, Dorothy Coleman, taught him to cook — and his smothered chicken became legendary among family members. When he wasn’t helping out at home, Sam listened to his favorite radio shows and watched the Western movies that he continued to enjoy later in life. An avid athlete, he played basketball in high school and college and at one point aspired to become a basketball coach. After graduating from Tougaloo College High School in 1952, Sam joined the Army from which he was honorably discharged in 1955. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Tougaloo College before making the decision to board the Illinois Central Railroad’s City of New Orleans train bound from Mississippi to Chicago. When he arrived in the city, he found work at a steel mill and connected with other family and friends from Mississippi who had made their way to the Midwest. At a Thanksgiving dinner during which relatives had planned to introduce him to a young lady, it was her friend who captured Sam's attention. On April 25, 1964, he married Elvie Rhone (nee Turner) and the young couple made their home on Chicago’s South Side. In 1966, their daughter Debra was born, followed in 1970 by daughter Nedra, as Sam Rhone embarked on what would become a 32-year career in education. By attending night school, he earned a master’s of arts degree from Roosevelt University in 1971. He became an elementary school principal, assistant superintendent and retired in 1999 as superintendent of school district 147 in Harvey, Illinois. For his service to the community he was awarded an honorary street name in the city. Sam was an active member of Salem Lutheran Church and Salem Baptist Church in Chicago. He served as board member for a number of community organizations and was a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity and a supporter of The Tougaloo Presidents Club. In retirement, Sam enjoyed playing golf and cheering for his favorite sports teams — which ranged from his beloved Chicago Bears to a newfound passion for Ohio State football, gained after he relocated to Columbus, Ohio, in 2011. Though he didn’t love foreign travel (Elvie convinced him to visit Europe and the Caribbean), Sam had a worldview that was formed by reading no fewer than three newspapers each day. In his later years, he would watch hours of news television and would happily engage in conversations about the state of the world. He offered sage advice to anyone who consulted him and was always ready with words of support and a sense of humor that could smooth even the roughest moments. Those who were lucky enough to be given one of his famous nicknames knew that while he was not a celebrity in the traditional sense, he was a star among men and his light will forever be missed. Samuel Rhone was preceded in death by his parents, sister, Dorothy, and brothers Edward Rhone Jr. and Lawrence Rhone. In addition to his wife, he is survived by daughters Debra (Darren) Shepard and Nedra Rhone; brothers Lester Rhone and Claiborne (Cassie) Rhone; and four grandchildren.