Rodney A. Green

February 28, 1940 – July 18, 2019

Rodney Allen Green was born to Cordila Lavina (Doerr) Green and George Francis Green in Mandan, North Dakota, very late on February 28, 1940. He missed being a leap-year baby by just a few minutes. The family moved to California where the parents divorced and Rod was sent to North Dakota to live with his doting grandmother. A few months later his mom moved to Portland for work during World War II, and Rod and his grandma followed soon after. His mother, known to most as Corkie, remarried when Rod was 4. He was blessed with a loving stepfather, Richard Delk, who taught him the value of hard work and the joys of a well-tended lawn and beautiful flowers.

Rod attended Portland Union Academy where he became fast friends with Herb Stratton. They shared interests in cars and girls. Rod also became interested in Herb’s sister, Norma. Following graduation from PUA, Rod attended Walla Walla College for a year. There he majored in “courting Norma,” and soon the two were engaged. The week after she graduated in June 1960, the couple married in Forest Grove, Oregon.

Following their wedding, Rod and Norma lived in California and Idaho and returned to Portland where Rod started a landscaping business. That was followed by employment at Portland Union Elementary School where Rod served as custodian and maintenance manager. This was the start of 52 years of employment with the Seventh-day Adventist Church. During this time, Rod and Norma welcomed their son and daughter, Bill and Katrina, into the family.

When the children were little, the Greens moved to Upper Columbia Academy, an Adventist boarding school near Spokane. While Norma taught grades 5-8, Rod worked as the assistant farm manager. In 1968, they returned to Oregon and resumed work at Portland Adventist Elementary School. Rod worked in various capacities for the conference over the next five decades. His favorite job was driving long-haul moving van for 34 years. He helped countless families employed by the Seventh-day Adventist Church relocate to new communities. Patiently and carefully he loaded all their earthly possessions into his moving van and safely transported them to their new homes. He made it his mission to represent Jesus to each of these families during what could be a highly stressful time.

Rod enjoyed the open road and could back a 45-foot trailer into any narrow space. Coincidentally his good friend, now brother-in-law Herb Stratton plus numerous other friends also drove trucks for the conference. Conversations at holiday gatherings and family dinners generally turned to tales of the road. Much like fishermen who tell tales of “the one that got away,” the drivers who gathered around Norma’s dinner table would tell funny and fabulous tales of the road. They knew all the truck stops between Portland, Oregon, and Portland, Maine, and each driver could out-do the others with tales of hazardous winter roads, twisty driveways and poorly packed households. Truth be told though, even more than Rod enjoyed driving the 18-wheeler, he relished returning home to his family. Norma’s greatest joy was spoiling Rod with homemade cinnamon rolls, tasty meals and a clean, beautifully decorated home.

Despite being on the road so frequently, Rod maintained a picture-perfect garden. His beautifully groomed lawn was the envy of the neighborhood. Norma enjoys roses, and Rod joined the Portland Rose Society. Growing roses became a favorite hobby, and he carefully tended his collection of three dozen rose bushes. Norma often supplied their church on Sabbath mornings with a gorgeous arrangement of home-grown roses.

Rod owned a succession of muscle cars, including a 1966 Pontiac GTO and a 1968 Oldsmobile 442. His pride and joy was his restored, show-quality, blue 1958 Chevrolet pickup, which is parked in front of the church this afternoon. Rod enjoyed taking his ’58 pickup to local car shows and cruise-ins where he won a number of first-place prizes and trophies.

No one had a more impeccably clean vehicle than Rod. He was known to wash his cars in the rain and dry them off with towels in the garage. No one was allowed to eat a morsel or drink a soda or coffee in his car. No one, that was, until grandchildren came along. Somehow they were allowed all sorts of privileges. Lost Cheerios and cracker crumbs were forgiven as long as they had been dropped by his much-loved Carolyn or Christopher.

Along with serving the church through his employment, Rod was a founding member of the Rockwood Church and served as a deacon for many years. Willing to pitch in with any task, he was a familiar sight in the church lobby where he patrolled with his fellow deacons, welcoming members and visitors alike.

Rod’s chief happiness was found in his family. He was proud of the varied accomplishments of each family member, but he was most proud to know that they are responsible people of good character who love one another and enjoy spending time together.

Rod is survived by Norma and their children, Bill and Katrina; daughter-in-law Patti; grandchildren Chris and Carolyn and her husband Dane, his brother Jim Delk, sister Robyn Green; adopted mom, Grandma Lorry; brother- and sister-in-law Herb and Marie Stratton, plus nieces, nephews and many well-loved friends. They brought joy, love and laughter to his life.

Rod wasn’t very good at remembering names, but he always remembered faces and friendships….and Rod was rich with friends. He loved to share a meal or a cup of coffee, catch up on the latest news, give encouragement, share a laugh, and represent Jesus to those around him. He blessed us every day, and we will dearly miss him.

The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Rockwood Seventh-day Adventist Church Capital Improvement Fund.