Obituary of Booker T. Rhodes Jr.

Obituary Booker Taliferro "BT" Rhodes, Jr. died on December 24, 2020 at the age of 70. BT, as he was affectionately known, was born on January 18, 1950, in Moorestown, New Jersey, to parents Booker Taliferro Rhodes, Sr. and Esther Mae Roberts Rhodes. He was the second born of three children in the family. Booker was in a family where parents made sure that all of their children were actively involved in church, school, and community. You could see him as a Junior Usher in church, playing the clarinet in the school band, or participating in events as a Cub Scout. BT graduated from Moorestown High School and married the love of his life, Celestine Williams. BT was a detail- oriented visionary and always had big dreams! He attended college for a period, before training as an apprentice in Civil Engineering at a private business. Utilizing his creative and mechanical mind, he worked as a draftsman at Texaco. He was known to work hard to overcome any obstacle that stood in his way. Most recently he worked at ShopRite. A very sharp man dressed in three- piece suits, he took pleasure in art, horticulture, chess, and backgammon. While much of BT’s personality was that of a business- minded provider he also had a fun and playful side. From having fun with his sisters as they practiced the latest steps of the most popular dance while listening to WDAS or proudly revealing to them his designs and ‘master plans’ for the house he desired, to attending parties with the love of his life, to taking his children ice skating on the lake and playing karate, to bumping the music and dancing in the car while Tal shifted gears, swimming in the pool with Chalice, Isaiah, and Daniel, to dancing with Ivri at the last family reunion, BT embraced all that life had to offer. BT was preceded in death by his parents Booker Taliferro Rhodes, Sr. and Esther Mae Roberts Rhodes. BT is survived by his three children, Booker Taliferro Rhodes III, Chalice Cherri Rhodes, and Ivri Christina Mitchell and James Mitchell, son-in-law; seven grandchildren, Tyra Christina Mitchell, Booker Taliferro Rhodes, IV, Talia Annece Rhodes, James Malachi Mitchell, Isaiah Nathaniel Jenkins, Gabriel James Mitchell, Daniel Elijah Jenkins; his sisters and brother-in laws, Barbara Lynn Buck and James T. Buck and Juanita Louise Hargrave and Edward L. Hargrave; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. Sorrowfully submitted, The Family