By Deacon Geraldine Swanson
The Rev. Rhoda Margaret Treherne-Thomas passed into eternal life on Saturday, December 4. 2021 at the age of 94. She was born on November 6, 1927 in South Wales, the United Kingdom to the late Francis Hugh Treherne-Thomas and the late Margaretta Edwards (Wherry). Rhoda spent her early years in England attending a private girl's boarding school in Lymington, Hampshire where she personally witnessed a German Blitzkrieg in June of 1940.
Later that year she immigrated to Canada with her mother and brother eventually moving to New York City. She attended the Ashely Hall School in Charleston, South Carolina and graduated from Smith College in 1948. She taught at an all-girl's private school in Jerusalem after the war and was fluent in Arabic. On her return to New York she taught for several years at Hunter College Elementary School before entering Union Theological Seminary to study for Holy Orders. During that time she drove a cab in NYC to help pay for her education. Rhoda was one of the early women to be ordained to both the diaconate and the priesthood in the Episcopal Church USA. She served in various congregations across the Diocese of New York including Christ Church Tarrytown; St. Peters in the Bronx and St Simon's on Staten Island. For many years she served as Chaplain at Staten Island University Hospital, North. She was, up until her recent death, priest associate at St John's Episcopal Church in Rosebank. She was predeceased by her parents, her brother David and step-mother, Joan Winifred Treherne-Thomas. She is survived by her nephew Samuel Treherne-Thomas of Middleton, Rhode Island.
Visitation will be at:
St. John's Episcopal Church
1333 Bay Street, Staten Island, NY
on Thursday, December 9, 2021, 4 pm through 8 pm.
Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated by
the Rt. Rev. Andrew Dietsche, Bishop of New York
on Friday, December 10 at 10:30 am
at Christ Church/Tarrytown with interment following in Sleepy Hallow Cemetery.
Memorial donations in Mother's name can be made to:
The Richmond Inter-Parish Council
c/o Christ Church
76 Franklin Avenue
Staten Island, NY 10301