GROVETOWN - Funeral services for Mr. Ollen Columbus Rhodes, 89, of Grovetown, were conducted Monday morning, at 11 a.m. from the Posey Funeral chapel with the Rev. John Meyer and the Rev. J. Lloyd Prince officiating. Burial was in Bellevue Memorial Gardens with Veterans Honors. He died November 25, 2011, at University Hospital's Heart and Vascular Center in Augusta, Ga., due to medical complications. Born on June 14, 1922, in Cotton, Ga., near Moultrie, Mr. Rhodes was a Gideon, a Mason and a member of the First Baptist Church of Belvedere, S.C. He was a veteran of World War II training in Army Air Corps flight schools and becoming a gunnery instructor. He graduated from the University of Georgia after the war and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture. He was the first president of the UGA Dairy Science Club and a member of AGHON, agriculture major's honor society. In the 1980s his hobby was competitive running, often racing with his son, daughter and grandchildren. He became the fastest male runner 70 and older in the Southeast in 1992 through the Running Journal's Grand Prix series of 15 races. He was a very active member at the Euchee Creek Senior Center in Grovetown and occasionally presented the devotional at the Young At Heart senior organization located at Lewis Memorial Presbyterian Church in Harlem. He was an avid fisherman and loved spending time with his family. the local companies he worked for were Marbut Milling Co., Osbon Tire Co., the city of North Augusta as a housing rehab specialist, the county of Aiken as one of four county-wide building inspectors (retiring in 1998) and the Remnant and Rug Shop in Thomson (retiring again in 2003 at 81). Mr. Rhodes was preceded in death by his parents, John William Whitfield Rhodes and Lucy Ida Todd Rhodes; two brothers, Leonard and Reuben Rhodes, and a sister, Trellas Rhodes. Survivors include his wife of 39 years, Jean Swann Rhodes; sons, Don Rhodes (Eddie Smith) of North Augusta, S.C., Dr. Larry Rhodes (Teresa) of Charleston, S.C.; Mike Spence (Kathy) of Graniteville, S.C., and Doug Spence (Bobbi) of Grovetown, Ga.; daughters Linda Groover (Sammy) of Statesboro, Ga.; Ann Holland (George) of Cobbtown, Ga.; and Jan Jarriel (Jerry Jarriel, Jr.) of Collins, Ga.; sister Lorene Rhodes Collins of Troy, Ala.; brother-in-law Jack Swan (Marjorie) of Martinez; 24 grandchildren, 29 great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews. Honorary Pallbearers were nephews. Active pallbearers were grandsons, Ben Harris, Jon Harris, Anthony Holland, Nick Holland, Bryan Rhodes, Brian Spence and Richard Spence. Memorials may be made to the Forward In Faith fund in care of Belvedere First Baptist Church, 421 Edgefield Road, Belvedere, S.C. 29841. Posey Funeral Directors was in charge of arrangements.