Rodney Earnshaw

Rodney Charles Earnshaw, 76, of Naples, Florida, passed away on October 27th, 2022 at Vitas Hospice in Naples in the company of his cousin Judy Snyder of Scottsdale, Arizona, who acted as an advocate for him in his last years.

Rodney was born July 12th, 1946 in Homestead, Florida to the late Henry and Katherine Earnshaw who were living with their older sons, the late George “Sonny” and the late Jack “Buzzy,” in Miami while Henry was stationed there during the war. The family returned to Naples in 1948.

Rodney grew up being taught by his father to love the woods just west of the Fakahatchee Strand, where they spent decades camping and hunting together. Henry, who was a carpenter, second-generation boat builder, boat captain and lifelong outdoorsman, built a cabin on the western edge there around 1957, which was later lost in a fire.

“He also built a swamp buggy using the frame of a Model A Ford, the tires from a World War II bomber and parts of a Jeep,” according to a 1987 Miami Herald article. “On weekends, father and son would ride the buggy – called Had-To ‘because it just had to make it’ –into the swamp. Young Earnshaw learned to hunt and fish. His father taught him to never shoot more deer than the family could eat.”

In December 1980, Henry left for a short hunting trip in the swamp, never returned and was never found. Rodney continued to love spending time at the site and said he felt close to his father when he was there.

He would mention what a wonderful cook his mother was, and missed the Danish ebelskiver pancakes she would make. He said she would make picnic lunches for the family of fried chicken, potato salad, baked beans and the like to take along on the boat on Sundays.

Rodney took this passion for and skill in the outdoors on many adventures across North America, and it was one of his defining characteristics. Another passion Rodney was known for was motor sports and racing–particularly dirt bikes–and his various beloved dogs, including Zen, Sasha, Zuki and the unforgettable Dusty boy. He was often accompanied on summer adventures by his former longtime companion, Jackie Mitch.

Over his racing career, he collected various trophies and made new friends who shared his interest. He introduced his younger cousin in Nebraska, the late Scott Snyder, to racing dirt bikes, and it became a passion the two shared. For many years Rodney visited Scott and family regularly and traveled with Scott and friends–dirt bikes in tow–in Florida, Nebraska and Colorado.

Rodney graduated from Naples High School in 1964 and attended Edison Junior College in Fort Myers 1965-1966. In 1967 he enlisted in the Navy and was able to see much of the world working as a radio operator on the Navy destroyer U.S.S. O’Hare.

After his service in the Navy, Rodney returned to Edison Junior College on the G.I. Bill and graduated in 1971.

His first job was in 1962 at the marina Boat Haven in Naples, where he did small repair jobs and delivered boats north for the summer. He liked to talk about the Corvette he bought with the money he earned, and also the cross-country trip he later took with two friends to visit members of his mother’s family in southern California and to go surfing in California and Mexico.

In the early seventies Rodney worked as an electrician’s helper, carpenter and roof cleaner and painter. In 1975 he started his own house painting business, which he worked at for decades, spending many summers in the Colorado mountains.

Eventually the physical demands of the job forced him to retire from painting. Over the years Rodney also served as a boat captain on a 31-foot pleasure boat and for a bit maintained a Class D chauffeur's license.

In 2013, Rodney accepted Jesus Christ as his savior and was baptized at Naples Pier in the saltwater he loved to swim in throughout his life.

He is survived by his niece, Kathryn Earnshaw Zlotnick (Chuck) of Dunwoody, Georgia, several cousins and many friends.

A memorial service and celebration of life will be held at East Naples Baptist Church on May 6th at 11 a.m. Cremation was handled by Hodges Funeral Home at Naples Memorial Gardens.

Memorials may be made to East Naples Baptist Church, the Naples Depot Museum, or the Humane Society of Naples.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.hodgesfhatnaplesmg.com for the Earnshaw family.