Loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, great grandmother and friend, Rhoda Mae Young, 89, went to be with the Lord on January 9, 2023.

Born in Powers Lake, North Dakota, to the Reverend Elmer Johnson and Ruth Johnson, and the middle daughter of three girls and one youngest brother, Rhoda lived in several states including Iowa, Nebraska and Texas as her father followed his calling as a Lutheran minister and led congregations across the U.S. Rhoda was raised in the church and was a lifelong Christ follower which shaped the compassionate and kind way she served others throughout her life. Whether it was taking care of patients during her 20-year-long career as a registered nurse, serving her church community or small groups, or showing loving-kindness to her family or friends, she was always there with a word of encouragement, a Scripture verse, or a homemade dish to comfort others.

Rhoda met the love of her life, Roger Young, at Luther College in Wahoo, Nebraska in 1953 and married him in 1955. As they built their life together, they had two children, Becky first and then Michael, and they made several moves as Roger's career in higher education took them from Nebraska to Minnesota to Missouri. His last role with the University of Missouri allowed them to enjoy more than 30 years in Columbia, Missouri, and make many close friends. Rhoda did her nurse's training in Omaha at Lutheran Deaconess Nursing School in the 1950s and went back to school to complete a Bachelor of Arts degree at Stephens College in Columbia in 1979. A final move to Plano, Texas, in 2014 put Roger and Rhoda closer to their children and grandchildren and gave Rhoda more of the sunshine and mild winters she enjoyed.

Throughout Rhoda's life she studied the Bible, was a leader in Community Bible Study, was a skillful seamstress, a wonderful cook with well-worn cookbooks and many satisfied dinner guests to prove it, and a loyal friend to many. Her love of coffee was legendary, and it didn't matter the time of day, she was always up for a cup and of course some dessert to go with it. She looked forward to family reunions and any visits with family and cherished those ties and relationships even when they had to be sustained over long phone conversations versus travel in the later days.

She will be missed immensely by her loving husband Roger; their children Becky and husband, Kevin Kiel of Mankato, Minnesota, her son Mike and his wife, Tina of Plano, Texas; and her precious grandsons, James Elhardt of St. Paul, Minnesota and John Elhardt and wife, Jessica, of Madison, Wisconsin, and their daughter, Rhoda's first great grandchild, Eleanor; as well as Rhoda's only granddaughter, Emma Young, daughter of Mike and Tina, a senior at Auburn University. Rhoda is also survived by her younger sister, Phyllis and her husband Don, Plymouth, Minnesota; and many beloved nieces, nephews and cousins who were always on her mind and in her heart. Rhoda is preceded in death by her parents, Elmer and Ruth Johnson, and her beloved younger brother, David and eldest sister, Sylvia.

A memorial service on Zoom will be held in February so that her family and friends across the miles can pay their respects. A date and time are still being finalized but we will post it here soon and send emails with information.

If desired, as a tribute to Rhoda's kindness and compassion, the family encourages memorial contributions to the North Texas Food Bank, https://ntfb.org/, 3677 Mapleshade Ln, Plano, Texas 75075 or Christ United Methodist Church Care Ministries, 3101 Coit Road, Plano Texas 75075. To plant Memorial Trees in memory of Rhoda Young, please visit our Sympathy Store.

Published by Allen Family Funeral Options - Plano on Jan. 19, 2023.