The source for the spelling of her last name is the birth record of her daughter Kathryn Joy Rhode. She was of Belgian descent. She lived in Duluth when she met her husband Thomas Rhode. However, it appears that persons of this name were not Belgian but either French from the Vendée or of French descent from Quebec, Canada.

Extract from the 1920 Census:
Name: Erma Marchessault
Age: 5
Estimated birth year: 1915
Birthplace: Minnesota
Race: white
Sex: female
Relationship to head of house: daughter
Parents: George and Lillian Marchessault, ages 31 and 27
Home in 1920: Saint Paul Ward 12, Ramsey, Minnesota
Address: 653 Aurora Avenue
Marital status: single
Attended school since 1 Sep 1919: yes
Father's birthplace: Minnesota
Mother's birthplace: Wisconsin
Father's occupation: salesman - wholesale
Occupation: attending school
Sibling living at home: Gayle (age 7)
Census place: Saint Paul Ward 12, Ramsey, Minnesota; Roll: T625_854; Page: 3A; Enumeration District: 142; Image: 855
Date: 2 Jan 1920

Extract from the 1930 Census:
Name: Ermie Marchessault
Age: 16
Estimated birth year: 1914
Birthplace: Minnesota
Race: white
Sex: female
Relation to head-of-house: daughter
Parents: George and Lilly M Marchessault, ages 41 and 38
Home in 1930: Duluth, Saint Louis, Minnesota
Address: 314 Second Avenue
Marital status: single
Education: able to speak English
Education: able to read and write
Father's birthplace: Minnesota
Mother's birthplace: Wisconsin
Occupation: attending school
Sibling living at home: Gale (age 18)
Census place: Duluth, Saint Louis, Minnesota; Roll: 1126; Page: ; Enumeration District: 57; Image: 809.0
Date: 10 Apr 1930

Extract from the 1940 Census:
Name: Ermie Rhode
Age: 26
Estimated birth year: 1914
Birthplace: Minnesota
Race: white
Sex: female
Relation to head-of-house: wife
Home in 1940: Duluth, Saint Louis, Minnesota
Address: 1530 East 1st Street
Marital status: married
Highest grade of school completed: high school 3 years
Living on farm: no
City of residence in 1935: Duluth, Saint Louis, Minnesota
Resident on farm in 1935: no
Occupation: housework
Has other income of more than $50: no
Census place: Duluth, Saint Louis, Minnesota; Roll: T627_1973; Page: 6B; Enumeration District: 88-41A
Date: 8 Apr 1940

Extract from the 1950 Census:
Name: Ermie L Rhode
Age: 36
Estimated birth year: 1914
Birthplace: Minnesota
Race: white
Sex: female
Relation to head-of-house: wife
Home in 1950: Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota
Address: 3315 Arden Lake Avenue, down
Marital status: married
Living on farm: no
Occupation: grocery clerk
Industry: groceries
At work during last week: yes
Number of hours worked: 18
Class of worker: for private employer
Census place: Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota
Date: 24 Apr 1950

Obituary from the "Tribune" of Minneapolis, Minnesota dated 6 Apr 1980:
Rhode, Ermie L, age 66, of 1465 W. 33rd St. Survived by daughters, Mrs. William (Jacquelyn) Wohlwend of St. Paul, Mrs. George (Kathryn) Keeley of Mpls; 6 grandchildren, Lanette Gavin, Mrs. Charles (Sheryl) Burke, Bill Wohlwend, Dirk Keeley, Kenn Keeley, & Jill Keeley; 4 great-grandchildren, Nate & Joel Gavin, Jesse & Patrick Burke; brother, Gayle Marchessault of Mpls. Service 1:30 p.m. Tues., Lakewood Cemetery Chapel, 36th and Hennepin Av. Interment Lakewood Cemetery. Friends may call7-9 p.m. Mon., Weilander-Quist-Davies Chapel, 2301 Dupont Ave. S.

Children:
(1) Jacquelyn Ann Rhode
(2) Kathryn Joy Rhode.