Kelly Duane Rhoads

Kelly Rhoads ObituaryObituary published on Legacy.com by Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home - Miles City on Mar. 4, 2026.On March 3, 2026, Kelly Duane Rhoads, age 71, sadly passed away at Holy Rosary Hospital in Miles City, MT.Kelly Duane Rhoads was born March 10th, 1954, to Frank "Dusty" and Mary Rhoads in Miles City, MT. He had four brothers and four sisters, being the fifth child of the family. He was a great brother and always tried his hardest to take care of his mom and sisters. At a young age he helped his father at the Miles City Airport, installing all kinds of lights such as runway lights, strobe lights, and the beacon lights. As he grew up and entered adulthood, Kelly had a long, persistent career in the union throughout his life. He did things like flagging, laboring, and working on the refineries in Billings and Colstrip. But Kelly always had a love and a passion for cars. Whether it was drawing them, fixing them, and even racing them. With the help of some friends Bill Oien, Butch Raymond, and Darryl Moore. You could say he made quite the career out of drag racing, winning a total of 74 awards.Kelly was also an amazing father. He had his first daughter Melissa Rhoads, but a while later his son Duane Rhoads was born in 1988. Kelly and Duane went on so many adventures together. They'd go skiing in Red Lodge, visit Yellowstone Nation Park, and the Mall of America. However, some time passes and his daughter Brook Gordon was born in 2005. Kelly always liked to take Brook and Duane to the races with him, they were his "pit crew" Kelly called them. Can't forget the trips to Washington they would all take with Dawn to see Mary and her family. But he raised his kids with so much love and care, always taught them right from wrong. Besides being a great father, he was an outstanding grandpa. Took the kids out for ice cream and would take them to Riverside Park to have fun and play around.Kelly was also such a creative man, especially when it came to jokes to tell the kids. He'd always be coming up with some cool guitar riffs in the living room. He was artistic and had a world of knowledge about cars. A man of many talents that brought so much joy to his friends and family. Even though he's battled with cancer on multiple occasions, he remained strong for 11 years after his first diagnosis.Kelly Rhoads is survived by his three children Melissa Rhoads, Duane Rhoads, and Brook Gordon. His brother Richard Thomas; his sisters Mary Welch, Dawn Rhoads, and Melody Cooper. His close friends Butch Raymond, Bill Oien, and Darryl Moore. Also, his nieces, nephews, and grandchildren.Kelly was such a caring friend, brother, father, and grandfather. We will all cherish our memories with him, and he will be missed so. Kelly will always remain within our hearts and thoughts. We will never forget him.A memorial service will be held on Monday, March 16, 2026, at 11:00 AM at Stevenson and Sons Funeral Home in Miles City. Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.stevensonandsons.com.To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.