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William Albert Rhodes

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Inventor William A. Rhodes

William Albert Rhodes (December 29, 1916 – January 22, 2007) was an astronomer and inventor who developed a novel method for the production of oxyhydrogen – initially named "Rhodes' Gas" after the inventor.

Early life

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Rhodes was born in Garden City, Kansas on December 29, 1916, to George E. and Bertha G. Rhodes.[1] Rhodes was awarded an honorary science doctorate by Columbia University.[2]

Career

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In 1929, he relocated from Loveland, Colorado, where he studied music, to Phoenix, Arizona.[1] In 1936, Rhodes attended a meeting of The Society for Research of Meteorites.[3] 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.[4][5] In 1940, Rhodes was profiled by the newspaper The Arizona Republic after he created a radio-controlled model airplane.[6] In 1941, Rhodes and his lifed was described by an article after he spent four months constructing a telescope.[7] [

In 1947, Rhodes announced he had photographed a UFO over his house – 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.[8] 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.[1][9]

In 1950, Rhodes again photographed an unidentified object, this time through a high-powered telescope.[10][11] In 1951, Rhodes constructed a 16-inch portable telescope which was featured in the local newspaper.[12] 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.[13]

In 1952, Rhodes was mentioned in the magazine Popular Mechanics for his recent invention of a television light amplifier.[14] In 1952, Rhodes was featured in Newsweek magazine for this TV work.[15]

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.[16] In 1955, he participated with an exhibition of solar-powered machines; Rhodes constructed a device which used solar power to create hydraulic pressure.[17] In 1956, Rhodes and others formed the "Institute for Advanced Research".[18]

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".[19] Also in 1958, Rhodes was profiled after building a bomb shelter.[20]

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.[21]

In August 1959, he authored a letter comparing Socialism and Communism.[22]

In 1960, Rhodes helped the Republic compute schedules for when the US satellite Echo 1 would be visible from Phoenix.[23] 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.[24] In 1961, Rhodes helped develop a heat detection device for local firefighters.[25] 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".[26][27]

Personal life and death

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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.[28] In 1959, Rhodes married Eileen Tremble Baker.[2] followed in the 1960s by marriages to Betty Brown and Phillis (last name not known by the editor).[29] In 1980, he married Nancy Virginia Ross. They remained married until his death.[30]

Rhodes died on January 22, 2007.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Obituary for William Albert Rhodes, 6 Feb 2007, p. 17 – Arizona Republic at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ a b "Arizonans Married, 23 Jan 1960, p. 45 – Arizona Republic at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Meteor Experts Conducting Ninth Society Meeting, 10 Sep 1946, 5 – Arizona Daily Sun at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "2 May 1939, p. 45 – Arizona Republic at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "2 May 1939, p. 9 – Arizona Republic at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "21 Jan 1940, p. 8 – Arizona Republic at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "7 Sep 1941, p. 8 – Arizona Republic at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "17 Nov 1949, p. 6 – Arizona Republic at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "28 Dec 1949, p. 4 – Arizona Republic at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "30 Jun 1950, p. 1 – Arizona Republic at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "30 Jun 1950, p. 1 – Arizona Republic at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "21 Apr 1951, p. 26 – Arizona Republic at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "24 Oct 1951, p. 6 – Arizona Republic at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ Magazines, Hearst (September 3, 1952). "Popular Mechanics". Hearst Magazines – via Google Books.
  15. ^ "8 Feb 1952, p. 6 – Arizona Republic at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "19 Jul 1952, p. 1 – Arizona Republic at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ "6 Nov 1955, p. 41 – Arizona Daily Star at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ "5 Aug 1956, p. 7 – Arizona Republic at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ "2 Jun 1958, p. 6 – Arizona Republic at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com.
  20. ^ "13 Mar 1958, p. 7 – Arizona Republic at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com.
  21. ^ "18 Aug 1957, p. 5 – Arizona Republic at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com.
  22. ^ "6 Aug 1959, p. 6 – Arizona Republic at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com.
  23. ^ "24 Aug 1960, p. 6 – Arizona Republic at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com.
  24. ^ "18 Aug 1960, p. 17 – Arizona Republic at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com.
  25. ^ "20 Mar 1961, p. 10 – Arizona Republic at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com.
  26. ^ "Home Power". Electron Connection, Limited. May 3, 1998 – via Google Books.
  27. ^ Apparatus for the Electrolytic Production of Hydrogen and Oxygen for the Safe Consumption Thereof at Patent and Trademark Office
  28. ^ "13 Aug 1959, p. 6 – Arizona Republic at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com.
  29. ^ George Wyat
  30. ^ "30 Dec 1980, p. 16 – Arizona Daily Star at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com.
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