Born in O’Fallon Illinois, Rodney attended O’Fallon High School where he excelled in track and field. He married Marilyn (nee Weil) of Belleville Illinois in 1953 and they remained happily married for more than 67 years. After serving his country in the Korean War, Rodney began his 40-plus year professional career with the Missouri Pacific (now Union Pacific) Railroad and graduated from Duquesne University, all while he and Marilyn started their family.
Always physically active, Rodney was an avid handball player at the Omaha YMCA and the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis Missouri where the Rea family resided for more than 20 years. Throughout his adult life, he enjoyed sports and was well-recognized in his passion as a sports official in football, basketball and softball at youth, high school and college events in both the Omaha and metropolitan St. Louis areas.
Rodney is survived, and will always be remembered, by his wife Marilyn and sons Gordon (Kelly) and Roger (JoElla), along with 4 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents Elsworth and Margaret and sister Geralene.
A Visitation in memory of Rodney will be held from 10:00 a.m. to Noon on Monday, March 1, 2021 at Lake View Memorial Gardens, 5000 N. Illinois Street in Fairview Heights, IL.
Funeral will begin at Noon at the funeral home, with livestream on Facebook.
Burial will be Private.
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