Richard Walden Rhodes
August 4, 1923 - December 24, 2014
Retired Superior Court Judge Richard (Dusty) Walden Rhodes passed away peacefully, with his wife at his side, on Wednesday, at age 91, in Moraga. Judge Rhodes was born in San Francisco, where his parents, Arthur Pym and Louise Walden Rhodes, were also born. He spent his entire life in California, with the exception of his tour of duty as a First Lieutenant with the United States Army in World War II.
Judge Rhodes received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from UCLA, and graduated from Stanford Law School in the Class of 1952. That graduating class included Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, William Rehnquist, Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, and Utah Governor Scott Matheson. Also in the law school at the time were Warren Christopher, Shirley Hufstedler, John Ehrlichman, Frank Church, William Baxter, and Pete McCloskey. Judge Rhodes inherited and reflected a family tradition in law and service to the legal system. His great-great grandfather served as the United States Counsel at Galveston in the Republic of Texas. His great grandfather served as a probate judge in Texas and later practiced law in San Francisco. His grandfather was notified on the day before his death that he had qualified to take the oath as an attorney and officer of the California courts.
He was a partner in the Palo Alto law firm of Moerdyke, Anderson, Evans and Rhodes from 1952 until 1959. In 1958 he was elevated to the Justice Court in the West Valley Area. In 1959, when that Court became a Municipal Court, he began to devote his full time to his judicial duties as a Municipal Court Judge. He was appointed in 1968 to the Superior Court of the State of California for the County of Santa Clara by Governor Ronald Reagan.
Judge Rhodes was active in civic affairs: over the years he was President of the Saratoga Chamber of Commerce, Charter President of the Saratoga Rotary Club, a board member of the Southwest Branch Santa Clara County YMCA, the Ming Quong Children’s Home in Los Gatos, the Montalvo Association, the Saratoga Men’s Club, the Community Council of Santa Clara County, and the Santa Clara County Heart Association, and served as a merit badge counselor, Boy Scouts of America.
In later years, Dusty enjoyed extensively researching family history, collecting watches, acquiring and repairing used bicycles for donation, reading, watching his beloved Stanford football team and the 49ers and Giants, and walking throughout his community.
The greatest personal influence in his life was his lovely wife of 64 years, Dean Sorenson Rhodes, who is also a graduate of Stanford Law School and a (retired) member of the California Bar. She was his inspiration and the true love of his life.
Judge Rhodes will be remembered by everyone who knew him for his generosity to others, and for his selfless caring for his family. He brought happiness to everyone whose life he touched. He is survived by his wife, his close relatives Kym Rhodes Leserman, Caxton Pond Rhodes III, Jennifer Rhodes Proulx, Duncan Mak Rhodes and their spouses and children, his in-laws Walter, Carol, and Ann Sorenson and their children and grandchildren, and by many dear friends. He was preceded in death by his brother, Stuart Walden Rhodes, earlier this year. He will truly be missed.
At his request, a formal memorial service will not be held.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made in his honor to your favorite charity.