William Albert Rhodes

Rhodes was born in Garden City, Kansas on December 29, 1916, to George E. and Bertha G. Rhodes.

Rhodes was awarded an honorary science doctorate by Columbia University.{{When|reason= probably not for "Early life" section|date=February 2025}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109974027/arizonans-married/|title=Arizonans Married, 23 January 1960, p. 45 – Arizona Republic at Newspapers.com|website=Newspapers.com|date=23 January 1960 |page=45 }}

In 1929, he relocated from Loveland, Colorado, where he studied music, to Phoenix, Arizona.{{Cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109971201/obituary-for-william-albert-rhodes/|title=Obituary for William Albert Rhodes, 6 Feb 2007, p. 17 – Arizona Republic at Newspapers.com|website=Newspapers.com|date=6 February 2007 |page=17 }} In 1936, Rhodes attended a meeting of The Society for Research of Meteorites.{{Cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/95874464/arizona-daily-sun/|title=Meteor Experts Conducting Ninth Society Meeting, 10 Sep 1946, 5 – Arizona Daily Sun at Newspapers.com|website=Newspapers.com|date=10 September 1946 |page=5 }} In 1939, he married Doris Fern Browning; At that time, he was a musician known professionally as "Wee Willie" and an instructor at the Institute of Educational Music.{{Cite web|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/8871029/|title=2 May 1939, p. 45 – Arizona Republic at Newspapers.com|website=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/117030045/|title=2 May 1939, p. 9 – Arizona Republic at Newspapers.com|website=Newspapers.com}} In 1940, Rhodes was profiled by the newspaper The Arizona Republic after he created a radio-controlled model airplane.{{Cite web|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/116681007/|title=21 Jan 1940, p. 8 – Arizona Republic at Newspapers.com|website=Newspapers.com}} In 1941, Rhodes and his lifed was described by an article after he spent four months constructing a telescope.{{Cite web|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/117321563/|title=7 Sep 1941, p. 8 – Arizona Republic at Newspapers.com|website=Newspapers.com}} [

In 1947, Rhodes announced he had photographed a UFO over his house{{snd}}the photos were published in The Arizona Republic.

In 1949, Rhodes authored a letter to the editor concerning a matter involving the city's garbage dumps.{{Cite web|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/117002595/|title=17 Nov 1949, p. 6 – Arizona Republic at Newspapers.com|website=Newspapers.com}} That same year, Rhodes was visited by a friend and colleague, inventor Lee de Forest; The visit was the subject of an article in The Arizona Republic.{{Cite web|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/116629403/|title=28 Dec 1949, p. 4 – Arizona Republic at Newspapers.com|website=Newspapers.com}}

In 1950, Rhodes again photographed an unidentified object, this time through a high-powered telescope.{{Cite web|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/117282829/|title=30 Jun 1950, p. 1 – Arizona Republic at Newspapers.com|website=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/117282803/|title=30 Jun 1950, p. 1 – Arizona Republic at Newspapers.com|website=Newspapers.com}} In 1951, Rhodes constructed a 16-inch portable telescope which was featured in the local newspaper.{{Cite web|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/117015028/|title=21 Apr 1951, p. 26 – Arizona Republic at Newspapers.com|website=Newspapers.com}} In October 1951, Rhodes reported the theft of a lethal load of radium bromide from his home laboratory; The lead-lined container, still holding the radium, was discovered the next day.{{Cite web|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/116697692/|title=24 Oct 1951, p. 6 – Arizona Republic at Newspapers.com|website=Newspapers.com}}

In 1952, Rhodes was mentioned in the magazine Popular Mechanics for his recent invention of a television light amplifier.{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jNwDAAAAMBAJ|title=Popular Mechanics|first=Hearst|last=Magazines|date=September 3, 1952|publisher=Hearst Magazines|via=Google Books}} In 1952, Rhodes was featured in Newsweek magazine for this TV work.{{Cite web|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/117296052/|title=8 Feb 1952, p. 6 – Arizona Republic at Newspapers.com|website=Newspapers.com}}

In July 1952, Rhodes again featured in the Arizona Republic which described him as an "amateur astronomer and professional electronics engineer"; Rhodes and fellow amateur astronomer Harry E. Lang speculated that flying-saucer reports might be associated with the proximity of the planet Mars.{{Cite web|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/117350606/|title=19 Jul 1952, p. 1 – Arizona Republic at Newspapers.com|website=Newspapers.com}} In 1955, he participated with an exhibition of solar-powered machines; Rhodes constructed a device which used solar power to create hydraulic pressure.{{Cite web|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/162729818/|title=6 Nov 1955, p. 41 – Arizona Daily Star at Newspapers.com|website=Newspapers.com}} In 1956, Rhodes and others formed the "Institute for Advanced Research".{{Cite web|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/117069319/|title=5 Aug 1956, p. 7 – Arizona Republic at Newspapers.com|website=Newspapers.com}}

In 1958, Rhodes authored a letter to the editor, objecting to a recent high court ruling against individuals practicing architecture without a license; Rhodes argued that "police powers of this state are being used to protect the vaunted who who, like most of us human beings, dislike competition".{{Cite web|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/117352651/|title=2 Jun 1958, p. 6 – Arizona Republic at Newspapers.com|website=Newspapers.com}}

Also in 1958, Rhodes was profiled after building a bomb shelter.{{Cite web|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/116760529/|title=13 Mar 1958, p. 7 – Arizona Republic at Newspapers.com|website=Newspapers.com}}

In 1957, Rhodes again was consulted by the Arizona Republic, where he debunked a recent unidentified sighting – Rhodes explained the object was a first magnitude star.{{Cite web|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/117623107/|title=18 Aug 1957, p. 5 – Arizona Republic at Newspapers.com|website=Newspapers.com}}

In August 1959, he authored a letter comparing Socialism and Communism.{{Cite web|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/116689138/|title=6 Aug 1959, p. 6 – Arizona Republic at Newspapers.com|website=Newspapers.com}}

In 1960, Rhodes helped the Republic compute schedules for when the US satellite Echo 1 would be visible from Phoenix.{{Cite web|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/117669654/|title=24 Aug 1960, p. 6 – Arizona Republic at Newspapers.com|website=Newspapers.com}} In 1960, after local skywatchers reported an unidentified light, Rhodes explained that the object, which he viewed through his telescope, appeared to be a Sabre jet.{{Cite web|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/24659074/|title=18 Aug 1960, p. 17 – Arizona Republic at Newspapers.com|website=Newspapers.com}}

In 1961, Rhodes helped develop a heat detection device for local firefighters.{{Cite web|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/117396728/|title=20 Mar 1961, p. 10 – Arizona Republic at Newspapers.com|website=Newspapers.com}} In 1962, Rhodes applied for (and later received) a patent for an invention concerning the electrolytic production of oxyhydrogen – initially named "Rhodes' Gas" and later "Brown's Gas".{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9P9MAAAAYAAJ|title=Home Power|date=May 3, 1998|publisher=Electron Connection, Limited|via=Google Books}}[https://pdfpiw.uspto.gov/.piw?Docid=03262872 Apparatus for the Electrolytic Production of Hydrogen and Oxygen for the Safe Consumption Thereof] at Patent and Trademark Office

Rhoades’ first wife was Doris Fern Browning (married 1939). They were divorced in 1942, and had a son, George Wyatt Rhodes.

In 1959, Rhodes authored a tribute to his recently deceased wife Maxine.{{Cite web|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/117015390/|title=13 Aug 1959, p. 6 – Arizona Republic at Newspapers.com|website=Newspapers.com}}

In 1959, Rhodes married Eileen Tremble Baker. followed in the 1960s by marriages to Betty Brown and Phillis (last name not known by the editor).George Wyat

In 1980, he married Nancy Virginia Ross. They remained married until his death.{{Cite web|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/166803590/|title=30 Dec 1980, p. 16 – Arizona Daily Star at Newspapers.com|website=Newspapers.com}}

Rhodes died on January 22, 2007.

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Category:1916 births

Category:2007 deaths

Category:American inventors