Inger Elizabeth Rhea

Inger Elizabeth Rhea, age 82, of Vancleave passed away Wednesday, January 21, 2026.

Inger was born in Detroit Michigan on May 30, 1943 and was raised in Sedalia Missouri. She became a resident of Vancleave in 1969. She supported her sons by having multiple occupations over her life. She was a Unit clerk for Singing River Hospital, cafeteria worker at OLV school, combination welder/burner, Millwright, pipe stress relieve operator, electrician helper, Safety inspector when she worked construction, she worked for the Broadwater resort and was a Nanny/caregiver for 37 years for Doctors David and Kathy Fain before retiring.

She was one of the founding members of Holy Spirit Catholic Church and was a Sunday school teacher for the Second Grade First Communion Class. Her heart was a wide-open door, and she had an infinite capacity for loving others. Inger lived her life with a quiet, fierce kindness that prioritized the needs of others above her own. Whether it was a hand-written note "just because," a warm meal during a hard time, or simply being the person who truly listened, she made sure everyone in her orbit felt seen, heard, and deeply cherished, and was guaranteed to be prayed over on her rosary.

To be loved by Inger was to have a permanent safety net; she was the steady anchor and the softest place to land for her family and friends. Inger will be remembered most for her radiant spirit and her unwavering kindness. She was a woman of boundless love—the kind that didn't just say, "I care," but showed it through a lifetime of small, selfless acts. If she had a favorite upbeat saying it was, “I’m blessed,” but in reality, it was we who were the blessed ones for having her in our lives.

She was preceded in Death by her parents, Mitchell Bangston and Betty Ann (Stunkenbroker) Davis; beloved mother-in-law, Mary Alice (Hammack) Rhea; her siblings, Mitchel Bangston Davis, Jr., Gustav Carder Davis, Susan Louise (Davis) Barron, Thomas Fedrick Davis, and Melissa Rebecca Jayne (Davis) Morris.

Inger is survived by her sister, Mary Beth (Davis) Carson; her sons, Michael Anthony Rhea and Robert Paul Rhea; and daughters, their wives, Amy Elizabeth (Keck) Rhea and Kathlyne Rose (Deslippe) Rhea; and her grandchildren, Crystal Lyne Rhea Stilwell and husband Matthew Lee Stilwell, Sarah Elizabeth Rhea and fiancé Wyatt Allen, Mitchell Lewis Rhea and wife Murphy Haven Rhea, Mary Alice Rhea, Michael Anthony Rhea II, Abigail Elizabeth Rhea, and Her Great Grandchildren Nora Stilwell and Amelia Stilwell; and many beloved nieces and nephews.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00am on Saturday, January 31, 2026 at Holy Spirit Catholic Church, Vancleave. Friends may visit one hour prior. Burial will follow at Vancleave #1 Cemetery.

Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Homes is honored to serve the family of Inger Elizabeth Rhea.