Trending
NAPLES, Fla. -- Cascinda Rhonda Kleese's gale-force presence grew still, softening to a whisper where so much life had been, when she passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday night, Sept. 22, 2026, at her home in Naples, Florida.
Rhonda was born May 29, 1961, in Youngstown, to the late Albert Hamad and Barbara Ann Dickerson Hamad. The eldest of five children, she helped care for her siblings from a young age while her parents worked at their grocery store.
Intellectually gifted, Rhonda graduated a year early from The Rayen High School at the top of her class in 1979. She attended The Ohio State University at 17, later earning a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from Capital University and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Phoenix. A naturally curious lifelong learner, she often said she could have remained a student forever.
Being a nurse was woven into Rhonda's DNA. Over a 30-year career, primarily in intensive care, she cared for patients with dignity, compassion, skill and heart. Her career took her from renowned institutions, including Stanford Hospital and the Cleveland Clinic, to nursing leadership roles in Naples, Florida. Even in her 60s, she delighted in saying she could still "run circles around the 20-something nurses." She paused her career for a time to help care for her grandchildren, but the nurse in her never clocked out.
Rhonda was also a vibrant Renaissance soul. She loved reading, crocheting, decorating, painting, gardening, upcycling furniture and especially quilting. She hand-stitched beautiful quilts for many of the people she loved, finding peace in every passing needle. When seeking a tranquil escape, she could be found collecting seashells on the beach or sunbathing by the pool with Shania Twain or Jimmy Buffett playing nearby.
Family was at the heart of Rhonda's life. She was a traveling mom and grandma -- affectionately known as "Bubba" -- whose love stretched to her three daughters across Ohio, Illinois and Utah, and to her seven grandchildren. She filled her daughters' childhoods with adventure, from white-water rafting and horseback riding in Yosemite to Bahamas cruises and a magical trip to Disney World. She stretched every dollar she had but always found a way to give her girls memories they would carry for a lifetime. Of all the titles Rhonda held, Bubba was the one she treasured most. With her grandchildren came tea parties and make-believe restaurants, leaps into trampoline-park foam pits, playing goalie in soccer games, and the very best Bubba hugs and kisses. She set the bar high for the title of world's best Bubba.
Rhonda is survived by her daughters, Kristine (Adam) von Philp of Warren, Holly (Nathaniel) Wolack of Chicago, Illinois, and Abbey Kleese of Salt Lake City, Utah; seven grandchildren, Zoe Orr, Jack Burrows, Bobbi Burrows, Willem Beltane, Nicholas Wolack, Jacob Wolack, and Tommy von Philp; her siblings, Aneese (Mindy) Hamad, FifiLynn Larney, Rebecca Lila Gugliotti and Michael (Missy) Hamad; and 11 nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents.
Funeral services will begin at noon on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Warren with the Rev. Fr. Edward Stafford and Deacon Edward Kleese officiating.
Family and friends may call from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, at Peter Rossi and Son Memorial Chapel, 1884 North Road NE, Warren. Burial will follow in Crown Hill Burial Park in Vienna.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Rhonda's name to The Nurse's Honor Guard of Eastern Ohio at the following link: https://nursehonorguardofeasternohio.com/donate
Family and friends may visit www.peterrossiandsonfh.com to view this obituary, sign the guest book, and send condolences to Rhonda's family.
(special notice)