Charles Eric Rodes

It is with profound sadness that we share that Charles Eric Rodes, 79, of Cary, NC passed away on Monday, August 5th after a long battle with cancer.

Charles was born in Charleston, WV to Mary Olive (Wire) Rodes and Martin Luther Rodes on July 13, 1945. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from Clemson University. He entered the military as a Commissioned Officer of the U.S. Public Health Service after graduation and served at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as an Environmental Engineer for 22 years. During this time, he earned his master’s degree at N.C. State. After retiring from the Public Health Service, he went to UNC-Chapel Hill to earn his Ph.D. in Environmental Science. Upon receiving his Ph.D., he joined the Research Triangle Institute where he was a senior fellow in Aerosol Exposure. He worked with RTI for 22 years where he published many scientific papers, received numerous honors and awards, and worked on projects to improve the human condition of the world. He was particularly proud of a U.S. patent awarded on a MicroPEM that he helped develop and the collaboration with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to create a smaller version of his MicroPEM to study the health effects of the cookstoves used in developing countries.

Outside of work, Charles was a man of many talents and interests who had a good sense of humor (sometimes more on the Far Side). He lived life to its fullest. He enjoyed playing the guitar, singing his favorite songs, playing records on his record player, and dancing with his wife, Tina. His interest in gardening was evident from his beautiful backyard. He enjoyed growing vegetables and flowers, creating new landscapes, raising Monarch butterflies, and bird watching - especially bluebirds and hummingbirds. He also loved cooking for his family, creating new recipes, making perfect lattes and cappuccinos with his state-of-the-art espresso machine, traveling to other countries, and had an avid interest in trains of all sizes. Many vacations revolved around train museums and train rides. He loved his LGB Garden train layout and customized all its buildings with fun sayings on the signs. For some years he would drive down to Bonsal at New Hope Valley Railroad and work on renovating the steam train they had acquired. Never one to sit still for long, he always found something to fix, take apart, improve or build. Although he will be greatly missed, his family is grateful for the time we shared together. His legacy lives on in the loved ones he left behind.

Charles is survived by his wife of 28 years, Tina Belmaggio, their son, Alexander Belmaggio Rodes, and daughters Mary "Ginny" Rodes Lock, Elizabeth Rodes Brown, and Robin Douglas Rodes, son-in-law Carlos Lock, and grandchildren Graham and Brian Smith, and Sarah and Lena Brown, and brothers Bill and John Rodes and nieces and nephews.

There will be a private memorial service at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church followed by inurnment at Wake Memorial Park.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Charles’ favorite charities: Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina (https://foodbankcenc.org/) or World Central Kitchen (https://wck.org/)

Please leave memorial tributes and messages of sympathy in the "Add a Memory" box below. Brown-Wynne of Cary is honored to serve the Rodes family.