WILMINGTON — Rhoda Carroll Shaw Ping, 96, passed away peacefully on Sunday, Jan. 22, 2017, at her residence in The Commons of Brightmore.
Rhoda was born in Morgantown, W.Va., on Aug. 7, 1920, to the late Michael Joseph and Rhoda Sarah Carroll. Her husband, Gene; sister, Mary; and grandson, Tres, preceded her in death.
Rhoda is survived by an extensive family who will miss her dearly and remember her always. Her family includes her beloved three children from her first marriage – to Ralph Shaw, sons, Mike Shaw and Tim Shaw; daughter, Carroll Whitney, and her husband, Fred; stepchildren, Tom Ping (Alecia), Doug Ping (Jeannie) and Cheryl Lehman (Tom); nephews, Blaine Robinson (Caren) and Dane Robinson. Rhoda’s grandchildren, Jamie, Mike, Matt, Denise, Michelle, Michael, Ashley, Sarah and Tim, andtheir spouses, children and grandchildren, and her step-grandkids, nieces and nephews who made Rhoda so very happy. All holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, reunions revolved around celebrations with family and close friends.
Rhoda married Gene Ping – the love of her life – when they met in Washington, D.C., in 1985. For more than 25 years, they danced, traveled, lead community and volunteer projects in their home and favorite place – Southport; they organized family reunions, made friends everywhere they went, and demonstrated what love is supposed to be.
Rhoda started her career as a telephone operator with Bell Telephone in Fairmont, W.Va. She and her children moved to different cities in West Virginia in order to advance her career and be prepared to send all three children to college when the time came. She taught them that college was not an option – it was as important as high school – even though she never had the opportunity to go herself. Following her retirement from a senior-level position with AT&T in Washington, D.C., Rhoda volunteered at the White House, taking citizens’ calls – an interesting and challenging post-retirement role.
She will be remembered for her strengths as a mother, her devotion to family, her ability to get different groups to work together and move things forward – and the laughter and dancing that she and Gene provided for all of us.
The family would like to thank dear friends, Lynn, Harry, Richard and Barbara, and so many other loving friends, and the wonderful, caring staff at Brightmore – all parts of it.
Visitation will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 26, at Andrews Mortuary, 1617 Market St., Wilmington. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. at the funeral home. A graveside burial will be held in Greenlawn Memorial Park, 1311 Shipyard Blvd., Wilmington, immediately following the service.
We will never forget you.
