Mildred Beatrice Breeding Rhea

Mildred Beatrice Breeding Rhea joined her loving husband in her heavenly home on Wednesday, February 21, 2024.  She left behind her testimony, “I’ve lived a good long life and I will be ready to meet my Lord and my Love.”

Mildred was a member of Clinchfield Baptist Church where she served as a youth Sunday School teacher and clerk for over fifty years.   While living in Chicago, Mildred was the office manager at Carboloy Division of General Electric.  After making her home in Virginia, she owned and operated restaurants and a gas station.  Later, she worked at the Russell County Courthouse. She graduated from Clinch Valley College at Wise and taught for the Russell County School System at Clinch River School for thirty-one years. She was an avid bell collector, loved crocheting gifts for family and friends, and reading. 

Mildred Rhea was born on April 25, 1929, to Earl and Mattie Bell Breeding.  She is also proceeded in death by her husband of 61 years, John D. Rhea; brothers, Lester (Trula) Breeding, Earnest (Faye) Breeding, Carlos (Bonnie) Breeding, and Earl (Ann) Breeding; several aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews; and a very special niece Sharon Thomas.

Mildred is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Michael and Kathy Rhea; grandchildren Michael Adam (C’je) Rhea, Sherry (Edward) Purcell; great-grandsons Holston Rhea, Bryan Snead and Lewis Snead.  Several in-laws, nieces and nephews also survive.  

Funeral services for Mildred B. Rhea will be conducted on Saturday, February 24, 2024, at 7:00 p.m. in the Combs-Hess Funeral Service with the Rev. Larry Burton and Rev. Danny Rhea officiating.  

Graveside services will be held on Sunday, February 25, 2024, at 3:00 p.m. in Ketron Memorial Garden Mausoleum.  Those wishing to participate in the procession will meet at the Combs-Hess Funeral Service at 2:30 p.m. 

The family of Mildred Rhea will receive friends from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 24, 2024. 

Pallbearers will be Roger Lynthlin, Jared Rasnake, Leslie Rhea, Bryan Snead, Lewis Snead, and Brett Keene.  Honorary Pallbearers will be Harold Rasnake and members of the Cleveland Rescue Squad.  

Expressions of sympathy may be made on Combs-Hess Funeral and Cremation Service Facebook page and our website at www.chfunerals.com. Combs-Hess Funeral Service, 291 Hwy 71 Fincastle Road, Lebanon, VA 24266, (276) 889-4444, is serving the Rhea family.

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