Rodney Franklin Ivey

Rodney Franklin Ivey, 70, passed away Saturday, March 11, 2023, after a heroic battle with cancer. Rodney was born in Jacksonville, Florida on March 1, 1953, to Charles and Shirley Ivey, the oldest of four siblings David Dana, Kimberly Kay, and Jennifer Jean.

Mr. Ivey was a native Jacksonvillan and lifelong Northsider, having graduated from Andrew Jackson High class of 1971. He went on to graduate from the University of North Florida with a Bachelor of Education in 1977 and earned his Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership in 1984. Rodney retired from Duval County Public Schools in 2015, after a distinguished career in the classroom and as an administrator for 38 years. He started at Public School #13, in room 13. Over his dedicated career he taught thousands of students and worked with many wonderful teachers at Lola M. Culver, Jax Beach Sixth Grade Center, Garden City Elementary, Twin Lakes Academy Middle School, Oceanway Middle School, and Sallye B. Mathis Elementary. He was honored as a national Environmental Teacher of the Year. Rodney worked closely with Project Learning Tree, WILD, and Project WET to assist teachers in developing project-based environmental lessons for their classrooms in coordination with the UF Forestry program. He wrote grants for multiple programs. Most notably, the nature trail at Garden City Elementary School and the planning and development of the Kids Kampus at Metropolitan Park in downtown Jacksonville.

Rodney met the love of his life, Susan, by chance due to a wrong number phone call in the summer of 1973. Over the following 47 years, they shared a life full of love, family, and memories together. Their three children are their pride; Krissy Leigh, Rodney Franklin II and, Cassie Elizabeth. The family they grew to include Krissy and her husband Chad and their two boys Wynn and Sumner; Rodney and his daughter Eloise; and Cassie and her husband Jaime and their son Theodore. A fiercely loving and devoted husband and father, fun-loving and patient Pock, loyal friend, diehard Florida Gator fan, lover of music, and collector of all sorts of things, Rodney truly was larger than life.

He was preceded in death by his father and mother Charles Franklin and Shirley Strang Ivey and brother, David Dana Ivey. Survivors include 2 sisters Kim (Larry) Stokes and Jennifer Ivey; his aunt Linda Gail Sardo; and a host of cousins, nieces, nephews, and other family and friends.

The family will receive visitors from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM Thursday, March 16 at Corey-Kerlin Funeral Home, 940 Cesery Boulevard Jacksonville, Florida 32211. Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 AM Friday, March 17, at Corey Kerlin Funeral Home, with David McDonald and Ryan Fredick officiating. The interment will be in Evergreen Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family is asking that memorials be made to V for Victory. Direct donations can be made via the PayPal link at::

https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=5RW2DTHV5C772 or checks can be mailed to P.O Box 226 Ponte Vedra, FL 32004.