Rhea Hornbeck

Rhea Ella Santilli Thompsen Hornbeck, age 91, of Boulder City, NV passed away on August 7, 2014. She was born on July 14, 1923 in Salt Lake City, UT to Pete Paul Santilli and Della Bertha Hecker. Pete and Della separated and Rhea was raised by her mother and step father Chris Thompsen. Rhea served in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II (1943-1945) and was in the first group of uniformed Women Marines. On July 11, 1949 Rhea married Bob Hornbeck in Los Angeles, CA. He was a career officer in the U.S. Coast Guard and over the course of their marriage lived in 27 different homes while raising their four children.

Rhea was a faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Her great grandmother having been in a pioneer handcart company, Rhea was a proud member of Daughters of Utah Pioneers. In her high school and college years Rhea was a talented tap dancer and theater performer. She was a life-long student of art and loved to paint. In 1975, her husband retired they moved to Santa Rosa, CA where she became very active in many musical theater productions while she also lead The Etude Women's Chorus for 20 years. Following their divorce in 1994 she moved to Las Vegas, bought a black sports car, and continued performing in productions including Super Summer Theater at Red Rock Canyon. Even after age required her to slow down, she continued to lead the music in her Church ward every Sunday until she was 86.

Rhea is survived by her four children Paula (Roger Jones) Goodwin-Jones of Thousand Oaks, CA; Guy Hornbeck of Fremont, CA; Neil (Lyne) Hornbeck of Corpus Christi, TX; Dirk Hornbeck of Phoenix, AZ; seven half brothers and sisters; ten grandchildren and six great grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her ex-husband Bob Hornbeck and step brother Max Thompsen.

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, August 13, 2014 at 10:40AM at the Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery. Family and friends can sign the online memorial guestbook at www.BoulderCityFamilyMortuary.com