Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025 | 2 a.m.
Editor’s note: Este artículo está traducido al español.
Betsy Rhodes, a longtime Las Vegas educator and community advocate whose name graces an elementary school in Clark County, died peacefully at home Saturday surrounded by loved ones.
Rhodes dedicated more than four decades to improving education and community services in Las Vegas, where she and her husband lived since 1958.
Her work with disadvantaged students and numerous civic organizations left what colleagues say will be an enduring mark on Southern Nevada.
Betsy Rhodes
Born March 4, 1931, into a ski resort family, Rhodes was raised in Northern California at Peddler Hill, one of the first ski areas established after World War II by her parents, Mervin and Gladys Amick. The resort, on California State Route 88 in the Northern Sierra Nevada, operated until 1972.
Rhodes earned degrees in primary and secondary early childhood education from San Jose State College (now San Jose State University), where she served as president of the Theta sorority. She worked as an elementary school teacher while her college sweetheart and husband, Dr. Leonard Rhodes, attended dental school at Marquette University.
After the couple relocated to Las Vegas, Dr. Rhodes established one of the city’s most successful dental practices, while Betsy Rhodes began her community service work with the Clark County Women’s Dental Auxiliary.
In 1977, she served as organizing chairman of Assistance League’s Operation School Bell, a program that provided school clothing to disadvantaged Clark County School District students to improve attendance, academic performance and self-esteem. The initiative received recognition as one of the community’s finest outreach projects.
She held leadership positions in numerous organizations, including president of the Junior League of Las Vegas and founding member and eventual president of Assistance League of Las Vegas. She also served on the State Advisory Board on Children’s Nutritional Education and as a consumer advocate on the Nevada State Board of Pharmacy, among many other roles.
The Clark County School District named Betsy A. Rhodes Elementary School in her honor on March 19, 1998, in recognition of her service to education.
She remained active at the northwest Las Vegas school, attending reading sessions and activities and creating the Rhodes Scholar and Wildcat Morris Athletes awards for students.
“Betsy was an incredible presence, influence and joy in my life. She was a tremendous mother and wonderful soul. God Bless her and her family,” said Don Purdue, a close family friend,
Betsy Rhodes was preceded in death by her husband of 49 years and her sister, Marilyn Atanosoff. She is survived by her three sons: Dr. Steve Rhodes; Dr. John Rhodes and his wife, Shelley Rhodes; and Jim Rhodes; eight grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
A celebration of life is scheduled for 11 a.m. Nov. 1 at Canyon Ridge Christian Church, 6200 W. Lone Mountain Road.