Richard L. "Dick" Rodenbeck

Dick was born November 9, 1932 in Fort Wayne, to the late Otto and Vera (Hevel) Rodenbeck. He graduated from Concordia Lutheran High School in 1950. Dick served in the U.S. Navy from 1952-1954 aboard the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt aircraft carrier.

Dick graduated from the General Electric apprentice school in 1956 as a machinist/toolmaker. He used those skills throughout his career at GE and Xolox Corporation.

Dick met Lois (Jensen) at Holy Cross Walther League. They were married January 5, 1955 at Holy Cross Lutheran Church. This loving 71 year union was based on true friendship, shared interests, enjoying their family, worshiping and serving together, and a lifelong commitment to each other.

Dick's interests, hobbies, passions, and enjoyments were vast! Boating, boats, building boats, restoring boats; camping, hiking, campfire cooking, water skiing, ice skating, and annual cider making.

He reconstructed a hewn log cabin (including an active blacksmith shop) and windmill on his property along with building a greenhouse to enhance his gardening.

Dick participated in historical reenactments with authentic costumes including handmade knives, black powder guns, and powder horns. He even built a half scale cannon to fire on the 4th of July.

His varied other talents included woodworking, scrimshaw, and photography.

In addition to season tickets to the Philharmonic, Dick gladly supported his children and grands in their pursuits.

Dick and Lois had an open door for fur babies. They loved their Collies, German shepherds, bunnies, pygmy goats, house cats, barn cats, garage cats; and extended family pets were often cared for during vacations and always welcomed for playtime.

Dick served his church by ushering for over 50 years and serving on the Board of Elders. He contributed to his community by helping build the Bible story playground at Concordia Theological Seminary. He traveled to New Orleans with a work group from Holy Cross to help with the cleanup after Hurricane Katrina.

Dick lived his faith through helping, fixing nearly everything that can break, freely giving of his time and talents, demonstrating love in action, with humility. Colossians 3: 12-14.

Dick is survived by his wife, Lois Rodenbeck; children, Shelly (Randy) Longman, Renee (Tim) Epple, Carin (Michael) Hunt, Enoch Feather, Alison (David) Riggs, Rick Rodenbeck, and daughter-in-law, Kathy Rodenbeck; grandchildren, Tara (Luke) Ahrens, Ryan (Andrea) Epple, Carey (Sadie) Hunt, Jason (Wendy) Hunt, Tess (Russ) Jones, Corey (Lauren) Rodenbeck, Rory (Channing) Longman, Rudy (Katie) Longman, and Sophia Riggs; great-grandchildren, Elijah, Micah, Lucy, Polly, Gavin, Logan, Connor, Mason, Bethany, Brynn, Riley, Audrey, Ava, Henry, and Matthew; and brother, L. Dean (Edith) Rodenbeck. Dick was preceded in death by his son, Randy Rodenbeck and great-grandson, Jonah Fuquay.

A memorial service will be held at 12:00 pm (noon) on Tuesday, March 3, 2026 at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 3425 Crescent Avenue, Fort Wayne. Friends are welcome to visit one hour prior to the service. A light lunch will be served at the Aulick Center following the service.

Dick will be interred at Concordia Cemetery Gardens, Fort Wayne.

The family kindly requests any donations to be made to Holy Cross Lutheran Church or Humane Fort Wayne.

Condolences and memories can be left online at www.hockemeyermillerfh.com.