Becky Rhoads enjoyed knitting, crocheting, and embroidering through good times and bad.

With a bag of yarn, needles and her creativity, she made something for almost everyone she knew, close friend Nancy Phillips remembers. Becky’s passion for knitting was especially therapeutic during the two and a half years she was battling stage IV colorectal cancer.

“It provided her a source of comfort during her treatments and she made hats, scarfs and blankets for the doctors, nurses and other cancer survivors. She could knit them in her sleep,” Phillips said. She even made doll clothing for the doctors’ children.

With a feisty personality and warrior mentality, Rhoads defied the odds of her diagnosis for more than two years. Sadly, she passed away on August 1, but her friends and family will not soon forget her giving heart. “Becky would do anything for the people she cared about. That’s what she lived for,” said Phillips, whose friendship with Rhoads spanned 40 years.

Last year, Rhoads donated a slew of handmade hats, mittens, scarfs, socks, and prayer shawls that were sold in the Merry Marketplace at Sarah Bush Lincoln’s Festival of Trees. “Becky was so excited to learn that the funds from Festival of Trees were supporting the construction of a new cancer center at Sarah Bush Lincoln. She had so much respect for the doctors and nurses and everyone at the Regional Cancer Center. She really appreciated everything they did for her,” Phillips said.

Rhoads’ passion to help others inspired Phillips, who served as the original Festival of Trees coordinator, to honor her memory with a tree and the entire Festival of Trees committee embraced the plan. “The tree grew out of the fact that I donated a sewing machine to Festival of Trees,” Phillips said. Initially, organizers were uncertain how to best use the sewing machine since it was donated before Rhoads’ passing, but it has become the perfect centerpiece for the tree, she said.

“The tree evolved like it was meant to be and has taken on a life of its own,” Phillips said. Rhoads’ four sons and their families have donated loads of her knitting needles, including some rare wooden knitting needles, crochet hooks, yarn, embroidery supplies, and a $100 gift card from Jo-Ann Fabric & Craft Store. Festival of Trees committee members also gathered a bundle of cute décor items like jars of buttons, textile spools, and yarn balls, and sisters Anna-Elise and Dr. Virginia Price added a heartfelt touch by hand making ornaments from measuring tape.

Kate Laskowski, owner of Main Street Quilt Shop in Shelbyville, graciously offered to decorate the tree and donated many sewing supplies from her shop, including a gift certificate to attend quilting classes. She also quilted a tree skirt to wrap under the tree.

Phillips is excited to see the 4-foot tree come to life. “It’s a group effort honoring someone who really cared,” she said. “The tree is so fitting for Becky. She was a reporter and photographer by trade, but she knitted and crocheted to relax.” It will be on display and open for bidding in the silent auction on Friday, Nov. 20 and Saturday, Nov. 21.

A few of Rhoads’ hand-knitted items from last year’s event will adorn both the tree in her memory and other displays during this year’s Festival of Trees, event coordinator Kim Lockart said.

Don’t forget to join us for Festival of Trees, beginning with Friends Night Out, Thursday, November 19. To find out more, click here.