Rhoda Mary Fishman

Rhoda Mary Fishman, age 96 of Cherokee, IA, passed away Monday, March 4, 2024, at Accura Healthcare in Aurelia, IA. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday, March 18, 2024, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Cherokee, IA. Pastor Jonathan Riggert will officiate. Burial will be at Oak Hill Cemetery, Cherokee, IA. Visitation with family present will be held from 5:00-7:00 p.m. Sunday night at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Cherokee, IA. The Greenwood-Schubert Funeral Home in Cherokee, IA is assisting the family with arrangements. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.greenwoodfuneral.com.

Rhoda Mary (Florin) Fishman, daughter of Emil and Flora (Rohrer) Florin, was born on August 27, 1927, in La Crosse, WI.    She graduated from high school in Cochrane, WI in 1945 and then attended Medical Technology School in Minneapolis.  She worked at Sioux Valley Hospital in Cherokee, IA as a laboratory x-ray technician  She later worked at Hope’s Fashion Farm.

 While working at the hospital in Cherokee, Rhoda met her future husband, Paul.  They were married on February 23, 1951, and celebrated 53 years together before Paul passed away in 2004. Together they had two children, Guy and Paula.  Rhoda was proud to live a frugal lifestyle.  She made her own lye soap, used a ringer washer, and claimed to have the whitest wash in town.  The family ate from her garden in the summer and her canned or frozen foods all winter.  Rhoda had the gift of hospitality and loved to entertain friends and neighbors.  Her kitchen was her domain. She was known for her eggplant, tea ring pastry, baking bread and her candy.  She read cookbooks for pleasure, like novels she would say.  History books were treasured and studied. 

 Rhoda was an active and dedicated member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Cherokee, IA.  She gave high priority to her faith.  She loved her time golfing as couples or with the ladies. Rhoda was adventuresome in traveling to the Yucatan Peninsula where she climbed the pyramids.  She traveled to Guam, Hong Kong, Europe, and winter trips to Maui to see her daughter and family. Rhoda respected the island people, the ocean, loved the food and warm sunshine  She treasured her trips back to her hometown in Wisconsin and reminiscing with family and friends.  She was proud of her ancestors who immigrated from Switzerland to Wisconsin.  

 To her family, Rhoda was one of a kind.  She brought warmth and joy into people’s lives.  She was kind, sweet and loving, but most of all hilarious with her quick wit and sense of humor.  She believed in simplicity, being content, always appreciative and lived her life with humility.  She had a great perspective on life and what was important. Rhoda spent the last 4 ½ years at The Gardens. She was very grateful for her long life. Her love and affection for her family had a great impact on their lives. She adored her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and her smile would light up when they came to visit. She will be remembered forever and be greatly missed.

 On March 4, 2024, Rhoda, 96, passed away peacefully at Accura Healthcare in Aurelia, IA.  She was preceded in death by her loving husband, Paul in August 2004, her parents, Emil and Flora Florin and one brother, Duane Florin.

 Rhoda will be lovingly remembered by her children, Guy (Polly) Fishman of Aurelia, IA and daughter, Paula Fishman of Wailuku, Maui; grandchildren, Leah Fishman of Arlington, VA, Diana (Neal) Westfall of Highlands Ranch, CO, Marie Fishman (Jeff Hubbard) of Wailuku, Maui; great-grandchildren, Noah, Raelyn, Colton and Ryder; other relatives and friends.