4/16/2025

ASHLAND - A former resident who’d only lived in Ashland for a few years has made an extraordinary gift to the Ashland area. John Rhodes had only lived in Ashland for a couple of years before moving away. He died in 2023 at the age of 76. Rhodes worked hard and kept to himself mostly, so much so that finding someone who knew him when he lived in Ashland proved difficult. Oredocker Foundation President Tyler Wickman said the community must have made an impression on him while he lived above the Taqueria La Monarca in Ashland. Rhodes left all of his $270,000 estate to the Oredocker Foundation. The school district and the foundation have decided to keep his love of knowledge alive through a scholarship funded by his donation. The plan is to have students participating in an annual science and technology competition will be eligible to win the scholarship. It is hoped that the inaugural event for the scholarship will be held in the Spring.