C. Rhoads, 84, Bell executive Posted on May 31st
8/26/235/27C. Brewster Rhoads Jr., 84, formerly of Huntingdon Valley, a retired Bell Telephone executive and craftsman, died of pneumonia Tuesday at Springhouse Estates in Lower Gwynedd.
Mr. Rhoads graduated from William Penn Charter School in Philadelphia. During World War II, he served in the Army Air Forces in Europe.
After his discharge, he earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania. He then joined Bell Telephone of Pennsylvania, where he worked in operations management and public relations. In 1972, he became a lobbyist for Bell of Pennsylvania and tried to persuade Washington legislators to preserve the Bell system’s monopoly on the U.S. telephone market. He retired in 1979.
, five years before the system was divested.cq
Since 1950, Mr. Rhoads had been married to Margaret Hayescq Boydcq Rhoads. After he left Bell, they operated a business involved in caning, repairing, and refinishing chairs and other furniture called Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Rhoads served on the boards of several organizations, including the Boy Scouts, the United Way of Philadelphia, and Abington Memorial Hospital.
He enjoyed camping on Big Pine Key, Fla., and gardening.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by sons C. Brewster III and Stephen; a daughter, Ann Littletoncq; and six grandchildren.
A memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Monday6/2 at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Elkins Park. Mr. Rhoads served there as rector’s warden, vestryman, and church school director. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Memorial donations may be made to the church organ fund, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 7809 Old York Rd., Elkins Park, Pa. 19027.