Rhodes, John J. (John Jacob), 1916-2003

John J. Rhodes was the US representative from Arizona 1952-1983, and served as House minority leader from 1973-1981.

United States congressman from Arizona, 1952-1983.

John J. Rhodes was the US representative from Arizona, 1952-1983.

John Jacob Rhodes Jr. was born to John Jacob and Gladys (Thomas) Rhodes in Council Grove, Kansas on September 18, 1916. He earned his B.A. from Kansas State University in 1938 and his LL.D. from Harvard Law School in 1941. During World War II, Rhodes served with the United States Army Air Corps (1941-1946). He married Mary Elizabeth Betty Harvey (1919-2013) on May 24, 1942 and the couple had four children: John Jacob III (1943-2011), Thomas H., Elizabeth (Rhodes) Reich, and J. Scott.

Soon after his release from the military, Rhodes founded Rhodes, Killian, and Legg in Mesa, Arizona. He also served as a Staff Judge Advocate for the Arizona National Guard (1947-1952), as the Vice Chairman of the Arizona Board of Public Welfare (1951-1952), and as a Delegate to the Republican National Convention (1952, 1964, 1968). In 1952, Rhodes was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Arizona's first Congressional district. He served continuously until the close of the 97th Congress in 1983. During his time in office, Rhodes was a member of numerous Congressional Committees, including Appropriations, Education and Labor, and Interior and Insular Affairs.

Rhodes was closely associated with Goldwater's presidential campaign and the Nixon administration. In 1973 Rhodes' Republican colleagues unanimously elected him house minority leader, the post vacated by Gerald Ford after his appointment as vice president. Rhodes also co-authored the legislation that authorized the Central Arizona Project.

Rhodes was active in local civic affairs and fraternal organizations including the Mesa Chamber of Commerce, the Free and Accepted Masons, Scottish Rite, and the Elks, Moose, and Rotary clubs. He died in Mesa, Arizona on August 24, 2003.

John Jacob Rhodes Jr. was born to John Jacob and Gladys (Thomas) Rhodes in Council Grove, Kansas on September 18, 1916. He earned his B.A. from Kansas State University in 1938 and his LL.D. from Harvard Law School in 1941. During World War II, Rhodes served with the United States Army Air Corps (1941-1946). He married Mary Elizabeth Betty Harvey (1919-2013) on May 24, 1942 and the couple had four children: John Jacob III (1943-2011), Thomas H., Elizabeth (Rhodes) Reich, and J. Scott.

Soon after his release from the military, Rhodes founded Rhodes, Killian, and Legg in Mesa, Arizona. He also served as a Staff Judge Advocate for the Arizona National Guard (1947-1952), as the Vice Chairman of the Arizona Board of Public Welfare (1951-1952), and as a Delegate to the Republican National Convention (1952, 1964, 1968). In 1952, Rhodes was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Arizona's first Congressional district. He served continuously until the close of the 97th Congress in 1983. During his time in office, Rhodes was a member of numerous Congressional Committees, including Appropriations, Education and Labor, and Interior and Insular Affairs.

Rhodes was closely associated with Goldwater's presidential campaign and the Nixon administration. In 1973 Rhodes' Republican colleagues unanimously elected him house minority leader, the post vacated by Gerald Ford after his appointment as vice president. Rhodes also co-authored the legislation that authorized the Central Arizona Project.

Rhodes was active in local civic affairs and fraternal organizations including the Mesa Chamber of Commerce, the Free and Accepted Masons, Scottish Rite, and the Elks, Moose, and Rotary clubs. He died in Mesa, Arizona on August 24, 2003.

John J. Rhodes, US Representative from Arizona, was born September 18, 1916 at Council Grove, Kansas, the son of J. J. and Gladys Thomas Rhodes. He received his Bachelors degree from Kansas State University in 1938, and graduated from the Harvard Law School in 1941. He was married to Mary Elizabeth Harvey on May 24, 1942, and the couple raised four children. Rhodes served in the US Army Air Corps during World War II, attaining the rank of Lieutenant Colonel before his release in 1946.

Rhodes established the firm of Rhodes, Killian and Legg in Mesa, Arizona soon after his release from the military. In 1950 he provided legal representation in the formation of the Farm and Home Life Insurance Company at Phoenix. In 1952 Rhodes was elected to the US House of Representatives from the First Congressional District of Arizona. His service extended continuously until the close of the 97th Congress in 1983, and included appointments to a number of congressional committees including Education and Labor, Interior and Insular Affairs and Appropriations. Rhodes has also served on the Appropriations subcommittees for Defense and Public Works.

Rhodes was closely associated with the Goldwater presidential campaign and the Nixon administration. In 1973 Rhodes' Republican colleagues unanimously elected him House minority leader, the post vacated by Gerald Ford after his appointment as vice president. Rhodes also co authored the authorizing legislation for the Central Arizona Project. Rhodes stepped down from the House leadership in 1981 and retired from politics in 1982.

John Rhodes has been active in local civic affairs and fraternal organizations including the Mesa Chamber of Commerce, the Free and Accepted Masons, Scottish Rite and the Elks, Moose and Rotary Clubs.

Howard H. Baker Jr. was a Republic Senator from Tennessee from 1967-1985, and served as Senate Minority Leader from 1977–1981 and as Senate Majority Leader from 1981–1985.

John Jacob Rhodes Jr. was born to John Jacob and Gladys (Thomas) Rhodes in Council Grove, Kansas on September 18, 1916. He earned his B.A. from Kansas State University in 1938 and his LL.D. from Harvard Law School in 1941. During World War II, Rhodes served with the United States Army Air Corps (1941-1946). He married Mary Elizabeth Betty Harvey (1919-2013) on May 24, 1942 and the couple had four children: John Jacob III (1943-2011), Thomas H., Elizabeth (Rhodes) Reich, and J. Scott.

Soon after his release from the military, Rhodes founded Rhodes, Killian, and Legg in Mesa, Arizona. He also served as a Staff Judge Advocate for the Arizona National Guard (1947-1952), as the Vice Chairman of the Arizona Board of Public Welfare (1951-1952), and as a Delegate to the Republican National Convention (1952, 1964, 1968). In 1952, Rhodes was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Arizona's first Congressional district. He served continuously until the close of the 97th Congress in 1983. During his time in office, Rhodes was a member of numerous Congressional Committees, including Appropriations, Education and Labor, and Interior and Insular Affairs.

Rhodes was closely associated with Goldwater's presidential campaign and the Nixon administration. In 1973 Rhodes' Republican colleagues unanimously elected him house minority leader, the post vacated by Gerald Ford after his appointment as vice president. Rhodes also co-authored the legislation that authorized the Central Arizona Project.

Rhodes was active in local civic affairs and fraternal organizations including the Mesa Chamber of Commerce, the Free and Accepted Masons, Scottish Rite, and the Elks, Moose, and Rotary clubs. He died in Mesa, Arizona on August 24, 2003.