WEST PORTSMOUTH – A victim’s advocate speaking for the surviving relatives of eight family members slain in southern Ohio says he hopes the healing can begin soon.
He called Tuesday’s funeral for six members of the Rhoden family extremely somber.
Mourners at a hillside cemetery outside West Portsmouth crowded around three blue tents shielding the six caskets containing the remains of five men and one woman who were among eight people found dead April 22 at four properties near Piketon. No arrests have been made.
A few deputies stood in the background while people paid their finals respects.
Neither the comforting notes of a trusted hymn nor the lilting strains of a country song, could drown out the mournful wails of a grieving mother.
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Geneva Rhoden sat before the caskets holding two of her sons Tuesday. And three grandchildren. And a daughter-in-law.
And for the more than 400 people who packed the sanctuary of the Dry Run Church of Christ, Mrs. Rhoden’s moans were almost too much to bear.
“I know your life on earth was troubled, and only you could know the pain. You weren’t afraid to face the devil, you were no stranger to the rain.”
She sat in the front row, closest to that line of six caskets.
A white one for Dana Rhoden, covered in pink ribbon and roses.
A white one for Hanna Rhoden, this one with cream-colored flowers and wisps of green.
Then there were the men, all in brown caskets, sprays of wildflowers spread on each top, each one adorned with a ribbon that was the favorite color of the man inside: Christopher Rhoden Jr., Clarence “Frankie” Rhoden, Christopher Rhoden Sr. and, finally, Kenneth Rhoden.
Of these six, five were parents. They were hard workers all. The youngest among them, Chris Jr., was just 16, a high-school freshman. Hanna was a new mother, her 4-day-old daughter beside her when she died.
“Go rest high on that mountain. Son, your work on earth is done. Go to heaven a shoutin’ love for the Father and the Son.”
The funeral was held Tuesday for Christopher Rhoden, his ex-wife, their three children and his brother. Services for a cousin and the fiancee of Christopher Rhoden’s son Frankie were held last week.
“I know your life
On earth was troubled
And only you could know the pain
You weren’t afraid to face the devil
You were no stranger to the rainSo, Go rest high on that mountain
Son, your work on earth is done
Go to heaven a shoutin’
Love for the Father and the Son”–“Go Rest High on That Mountain” – Written by Vincent Gill (1995)